Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has called on fans and media to stop relentlessly criticising senior players after leading his side to a 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shaheen responded firmly when a journalist questioned whether he was satisfied with the performances of senior players, including Babar Azam, Shadab Khan and Agha Salman.
“Guys, I have one request for everyone. Please stop criticising senior players all the time. When they don’t perform, people complain, and when they do perform, people still question them. At some point, you have to give them credit,” Shaheen said firmly.
The left-arm pacer pointed to Babar’s contribution in the Rawalpindi match as an example of senior players delivering under pressure.
“Take Babar, for example. In the Rawalpindi match, he scored a valuable fifty in a tough situation and also guided a young player like Ghazi at the crease. That is a positive sign for Pakistan cricket,” he added.
Shaheen also stressed the importance of experienced players in the dressing room for the development of younger cricketers.
“If you remove all the senior players from the team, how will the juniors develop? When I made my debut, I had senior players around me, and I learned a lot from them. Young players grow by playing alongside experienced cricketers and learning from them,” he said.
The 24-year-old urged patience, arguing that no player, regardless of how talented, can be expected to perform consistently across every match.
“You cannot expect a senior player to perform in every single match. They may fail in one game, two games, or even three games. Even the best athletes in the world, in any sport, do not perform in every match. Out of ten games, they might perform well in only three or four. No one can be at their best all the time. So, I think we should give players a little more time, support, and patience.”
On the field, Shaheen led from the front in the series decider, finishing with figures of 3/30 from eight overs as Pakistan bowled Australia out for 157 in 42 overs. Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan took two wickets each, while Haris Rauf chipped in with one.
Pakistan reached the target in 41.5 overs, losing six wickets. Babar Azam top-scored with 40 off 84 balls, while Shadab Khan contributed a crucial 29 off 42 to help see the side home alongside an unbeaten 18 from Abdul Samad.
Reflecting on the win, Shaheen credited the collective effort of the squad.
“It was a team effort throughout the series. It was very difficult for the batters. We put in the effort and are happy with the win. We used the conditions to our advantage,” he said.
The victory marks Pakistan’s third consecutive ODI series win over Australia, following a 2-1 win at home in 2022 and another 2-1 triumph in Australia in 2025.
