Pakistani opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad faces backlash after he, during a televised discussion, accused national team captain Babar Azam of favouritism in team selection.
Shehzad criticized Azam’s leadership and selection decisions on a private TV channel, alleging that Azam preferred underperforming friends for team spots.
Shehzad argued that personal bias influenced Azam’s choices during the program, which also featured cricketer Imam-ul-Haq. In defence of Azam, Imam-ul-Haq pointed out his exclusion from the T20 World Cup team despite his friendship with Azam, suggesting that the team selections were merit-based and aligned with board directives.
Imam also emphasized that Azam had not actively sought the captaincy but was chosen by the cricket board. The show’s host further illustrated this point by mentioning the inclusion of cricketers Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim in the team, neither of whom is considered close to Azam. This indicates that their selection was also based on performance and board decisions.
Shehzad countered these arguments by asserting that Amir and Wasim’s inclusion was due to their connections with top board officials rather than any direct influence from Azam. Following these contentious remarks, Shehzad has been widely criticized on social media and by his peers, who disapprove of his public accusations against Babar Azam.
