Salman Butt, former Pakistan captain, has publicly condemned head coach Gary Kirsten and the current management of the Pakistan Cricket Team for their inadequate management of the recent confrontation between fast bowler Shaheen Afridi and batting coach Mohammad Yousuf ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
The incident allegedly occurred during Pakistan’s practice session at Headingley, with reports indicating that tensions escalated when Yousuf confronted Shaheen regarding his frequent no-balls during the nets.
Salman Butt criticizes Pakistan Cricket Management over Shaheen Afridi-Yousuf incident
As Mohammad Yousuf confronted Shaheen Afridi about his ongoing struggles in hitting deliveries during net practice, the situation escalated when Shaheen reacted strongly, insisting on uninterrupted practice. Witnesses described the exchange as tense, with Shaheen visibly upset by Yousuf’s comments.
In the aftermath, Shaheen Afridi reportedly apologized to Mohammad Yousuf, recognizing his outburst as inappropriate. The Pakistan cricket team management also addressed the issue internally, issuing a reprimand to the star fast bowler. Nevertheless, the incident has sparked considerable debate within the Pakistan cricket community.
Salman Butt, renowned for his outspoken opinions, strongly criticized the Pakistan team management for their handling of the situation, stressing the significance of maintaining discipline and unity within the squad, particularly in the build-up to major tournaments such as the T20 World Cup.
The former Pakistan captain emphasized that if the management perceived Shaheen Afridi to be deviating from the team’s plans and displaying uncooperative behavior, decisive steps should have been taken promptly. He suggested that Afridi should have been omitted from the Pakistan team and alternatives considered following his misconduct.
Salman Butt calls out Pakistan Team Management for lack of action on Shaheen Afridi’s misconduct
Butt argued that allowing Shaheen to continue without any punishment and complaining later was beyond his understanding. He questioned the effectiveness of having high-profile figures in the team on substantial salaries if they couldn’t take action in such situations, referring to coach Gary Kirsten.
Taking a dig at the Pakistan cricket team management, the former batter said that the role of the management is to act, not just to voice complaints. Notably, Afridi is likely to miss the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh at home as he is set to welcome his first child soon.
Salman Butt told a local sports channel, as reported by Cricket Pakistan: “If the management thinks that Shaheen was not implementing the plans and was not cooperating with them intentionally, then they should have taken action. If he was not disciplined, then they should have dropped him and opted to go with some other player.”
But he signed off by saying, “If you gave him full opportunity despite all these issues and are now complaining, I think anybody can do that. What’s the point of appointing [big names] with hefty salaries? Management’s job is not to complain but to take action.”
