Latest Cricket News

Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi’s Dressing-Room Fight: Details Emerge After Pakistan’s Humiliation

Siyan Sethi
· 2 min read
Your paragraph text 2026 05 16T094828 534

Pakistan’s Shocking Defeat to Bangladesh Leads to Dressing-Room Fight

Pakistan’s shocking defeat to Bangladesh in the First Test has triggered a sense of discontent within the Pakistani dressing room, as reports have claimed an altercation between skipper Shan Masood and pacer Shaheen Afridi.

Altercation Between Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi

According to sources, a disgruntled Shan Masood blamed the lack of speed from the pace attack, pointing a finger at Shaheen Afridi, whose average speed was 132 kph, much below the pace of Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana, who bowled around 145 kph on average.

“We failed to create pressure because of a lack of speed, and that is alarming,” Shan Masood told the bowlers.

However, Shaheen Afridi rebuked the skipper, stating that the team struggled due to batting failures, and the captain himself should mind his own performance.

“To this, Shaheen hit back by blaming the poor batting that failed to get a first-innings lead and told the skipper to mind his own performance with the bat,” said the source.

Consequences of the Defeat

Pakistan’s shocking defeat led to a massive war of words between the senior players in the team’s dressing room. The team was also docked eight points for having maintained a slow over rate, leading to a slip to the eighth position in the points table.

“The blame for the slow overrate squarely lies on skipper Shan, as he was constantly informed by the team analyst of the slow overrate session by session, but the captain and bowlers failed to control that. It is a massive blow to Pakistan’s WTC (World Test Championship) chances,” said the source.

READ:  Mohammad Abbas Hits 100 Away Test Wickets: Surpassing the Legacy of Wasim and Waqar

Changes in the Team

Shaheen Afridi has been dropped from the second Test, and Khurram Shahzad has been included in the XI, while Babar Azam is also likely to return to the mix against opener Imam-ul-Haq.

The defeat has raised questions about the team’s performance and the leadership of Shan Masood. The upcoming matches will be crucial for Pakistan to regain their momentum and make a strong comeback in the World Test Championship.

Share
Siyan Sethi

Siyan Sethi is a senior cricket correspondent for The Telegraph India, widely regarded as one of the freshest and most thoughtful voices covering women's cricket in the country. A graduate of Chennai's M.O.P. Vaishnav College, she began her career reporting on college and university women's tournaments before transitioning to the national beat. Siyan follows the Indian women's team at every ICC event and has been a constant presence through the transformative early years of the Women's Premier League. Her writing is known for combining sharp tactical observation—particularly around the rise of power‑hitting and athletic fielding—with a deep commitment to tracking the grassroots pathways that bring young girls from small‑town academies into the professional game. Siyan also contributes comparative pieces on global T20 leagues such as The Hundred and the WBBL, placing Indian developments in an international context. A RedInk Award recipient, she is committed to challenging gender biases in sports media and creating space for the next generation of female cricket storytellers.

More Like This