Pakistan’s cricket fraternity was abuzz on Friday as fast bowler Shaheen Afridi took to his official Instagram account to post a cryptic message.
The left-arm pacer posted a video story, expressing his disappointment with recent developments that led to his removal as captain of Pakistan’s T20I team.
Babar Azam replaced Afridi as T20I captain ahead of the upcoming series against New Zealand.
Shaheen Afridi’s Instagram story
Afridi’s Instagram story, laden with a sense of warning, hinted at his readiness to unveil a side of himself that few may have seen, should his patience be stretched beyond its limit.
The story, read, “Never ever ever put me in a position where I have to show you how cruel and ruthless I can be. Don’t test my patience. Because I might be the kindest and sweetest person you’ve ever met, but once I reach my limit, you’ll see me do the things that no one thought I was capable of doing.”
What could be the meaning behind the story?
Shaheen Afridi’s cryptic Instagram story left fans speculating about its intended recipient.
Some speculate that Afridi’s message could be directed towards Babar Azam, who, according to former cricketer Rashid Latif, may have sought revenge against Afridi by assuming the T20I captaincy.
Meanwhile, others believe that Afridi’s warning may be aimed at the PCB management for their abrupt decision to strip him of the captaincy without proper communication.
Pakistan’s captaincy saga
Shaheen Afridi had stepped in as the T20I captain after Babar Azam relinquished captaincy across all formats following Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the ODI World Cup 2023.
However, Afridi’s captaincy tenure was short-lived, marked by a disappointing 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand earlier this year.
Sources close to Afridi revealed his displeasure with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) handling of his removal from the captaincy position.
The sources cited a lack of communication and a fake statement issued in his name as key grievances. While the PCB admitted its internal mistake regarding the statement, Afridi remained perturbed by the entire episode.
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