Babar Azam opens up about alleged verbal spat with Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan captain Babar Azam addressed recent speculations surrounding an alleged verbal spat between him and fellow teammate Shaheen Afridi during the recently concluded final against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023. 

During the pre-departure conference on Tuesday in Lahore, Babar emphasized that respect is paramount and extended to every team member, irrespective of the match outcome.

"Respect is given to everyone. You see, whenever the match is close and we lose, it's just a regular meeting, but sometimes it's portrayed as if we had a fight. It shouldn't be like that. Respect should remain constant for everyone. We love each other as much as we do our family," he said. 

According to reports in the media, a heated verbal altercation occurred between Babar and Shaheen during a post-match team meeting.

Media reports suggested that Babar expressed dissatisfaction with the performances of some senior players, prompting Shaheen to encourage Babar to acknowledge the contributions of those who had performed well. This exchange reportedly led to Mohammad Rizwan stepping in to mediate the situation.