Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed attention during a PSL 2026 captains’ presser on Wednesday when he avoided a question about Pakistan’s struggling national team. As a journalist brought up the team’s recent poor performances and asked questions to Pakistani players present in the presser individually, Afridi stepped in and told him to focus only on the Pakistan Super League. The moment quickly went viral, especially since Pakistan cricket has been under heavy criticism after recent losses.
Watch:During the interaction, Afridi made it clear he didn’t want to address bigger issues, saying questions should stick to the league. In the viral clip, he is heard telling the reporter, “Don’t ask about Pakistan. We are currently playing the Pakistan Super League (PSL), so ask questions on PSL only. When we will be playing for Pakistan, then you can ask questions about Pakistan, and we will answer those questions.” His response came as fans continue to question the form of key players and the overall state of Pakistan cricket.Amid the controversy, attention is now on the upcoming PSL season. Defending champions Lahore Qalandars are aiming for a strong start in the opening match on Thursday. Pakistan were knocked out of the 2026 T20 World Cup Super 8 stage despite beating Sri Lanka, as their net run rate was too low compared to New Zealand and England. They needed a much bigger win to qualify but fell short. This marks their fourth straight ICC tournament without reaching the semi-finals, highlighting ongoing struggles in crucial moments.
