Shahid Afridi invited members of the Pakistan team to his home in Karachi on Wednesday, as the Men in Green are currently attending a training camp in the city ahead of the Sri Lanka Test tour.

A video clip from the gathering went viral, capturing a lighthearted moment between Afridi and Babar Azam. The clip shows Afridi celebrating and embracing Babar after defeating him in a game of pool. Afridi, known for his competitive spirit, shared that he not only won the game but also made sure to uplift Babar's spirits afterward.

"I beat him [Babar] in the pool match but I didn’t let him get demotivated. I motivated him, so that is why he looked confident in the press conference today,” Afridi said on a local news channel on Thursday.

Furthermore, Afridi revealed that he had a conversation with Imam ul Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed, two other members of the Test squad, during the gathering.

Afridi acknowledged that the responsibility for managing the players' workload and scheduling rests with the selection committee and coaching staff. He stressed the need for a well-thought-out strategy to navigate the extensive cricketing calendar ahead and ensure the players' fitness and performances are maintained.

"I had a chat with Imam ul Haq and Sarfaraz [Ahmed] that they have to play cricket without any gaps for next eight months, so there is no doubt that there should be a backup plan in place for them and players will need adequate rest as well during that time. It is the responsibility of selection committee and the coaching staff regarding how they go about these next eight months of cricket,” he concluded.