Pakistan's assistant coach Azhar Mahmood denied Wasim Akram's assertions that Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi don't communicate well. Mahmood claimed that there is a genuine friendship between the two players.
Following Pakistan's June 9 defeat over India, Wasim Akram attacked the players and called for their replacement, implying that Babar and Shaheen—two of the team's most important players—were not communicating and needed to be sent home.
However, Mahmood dismissed Akram's claims ahead of Pakistan's crucial match against Canada. He stated that he sees no issues between Babar and Shaheen, emphasising their friendship and their integral roles in the team.
Pakistan has had a disappointing tournament so far, facing defeat against the USA followed by a poor batting performance against India. Mahmood acknowledged the team management's responsibility for the poor performance and emphasised that they were not shielding any players.
As Pakistan prepares to face Canada on June 11, Mahmood highlighted the importance of the match in retaining their chances of progressing to the Super 8 stages of the competition.