The Pakistan Cricket Board has issued a strong response following allegations of an incident between Shaheen Afridi and white-ball captain Agha Salman during training ahead of Pakistan's series against West Indies in Florida.
Rumours have circulated on social media of an altercation between player and captain, with an argument allegedly taking place between the two. Shaheen is back in Pakistan's white-ball side after being left out of their most recent series, and he hasn't played for Pakistan in any format since March this year.
In response to the allegations, the PCB released a statement which pushed back against the veracity of the claims. "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) categorically denies the baseless, fabricated, and defamatory allegations currently being circulated on social media pertaining to an alleged incident involving Shaheen Afridi, team captain Agha Salman, and a member of the coaching staff," read the statement. "The PCB affirms that no such incident has occurred at any point during training or practice sessions. These malicious rumours are entirely fictitious and appear to have been deliberately concocted with clear malafide intent to sow discord within the national squad.
"Such misinformation constitutes a calculated and reprehensible attempt to undermine the cohesion, morale, and reputation of the Pakistan national team. The PCB considers this a serious and premeditated defamation campaign, which is aimed at damaging the professional integrity of the individuals targeted and the collective environment of the squad."
Shaheen Afridi, left out of the New Zealand ODI series, has made his return.#PAKvWI #Cricket pic.twitter.com/xaESPkH0jm
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 25, 2025
The statement went on to pledge legal action against those circulating the rumours on social media, asserting they were committing defamation and cybercrime offenses. The statement concluded: "The PCB remains committed to protecting its players, staff, and the sanctity of the national team from unwarranted and harmful speculation."
Pakistan will play their first match against West Indies later today (July 31), with the match set to take place at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Florida. Shaheen is part of the side following an outstanding PSL campaign earlier in the year, in which he finished as the leading wicket-taker and captain of title winners, Lahore Qalandars. Pakistan are coming off the back of a T20I series loss in Bangladesh, with several players dropped from that squad.
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