Pakistan left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed headlines after a tense moment during a recent captains’ press conference ahead of the Pakistan Super League 2026, where he appeared visibly frustrated with questions surrounding Pakistan cricket by a journalist.
During the interaction, Afridi was asked about the national team’s recent struggles, a topic that has been under heavy scrutiny following their disappointing performances. However, the left-arm quick was quick to shut down the query and shifted focus back to the league.
“Don’t ask about Pakistan. We are currently playing the Pakistan Super League (PSL), so ask questions on PSL only. When we will be playing for Pakistan, then you can ask questions about Pakistan, and we will answer those questions,” clearly irritated, Afridi responded.
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🚨 Pakistani journalist COOKS Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam
Bro really woke up and chose violence! 😭
The man openly questioned Babar’s T20 strike rate and asked if he even deserves his spot as a T20 player, then immediately went after Shaheen’s captaincy credentials. 💀 pic.twitter.com/5HrkwdbGYX — Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) March 25, 2026
The same journalist also questioned Babar Azam and what his motives are ahead of the upcoming PSL season, as he has been dropped from Pakistan’s T20I set-up. But the star cricketer chose to ignore the query.
The incident highlights the growing pressure on Pakistan players amid criticism of the national side, with Afridi choosing to avoid the topic altogether during the PSL media duties. With PSL 2026 underway, Afridi and his teammates will now look to shift focus to franchise performances, even as discussions around the national side continue to dominate headlines.
Despite facing criticism for his performances with the Pakistan national team, Shaheen Afridi has enjoyed remarkable success as captain of the Lahore Qalandars in the PSL. Under his leadership, the franchise has flourished, with Afridi becoming the first captain in the tournament’s history to clinch three titles. He guided the Qalandars to back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023 before adding another trophy to the cabinet with a triumphant campaign in 2025.
Meanwhile, the matches of the PSL 2026 will be played behind closed doors from March 26 to May 3, 2026, with all matches scheduled at only two venues: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, and National Bank Stadium, Karachi due to security concerns