Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, dismissed rumors of a "spat" with fast bowler Shaheen Afridi during a pre-departure press conference in Lahore before their journey to India for the ICC Men's World Cup 2023.
A journalist asked Babar about the team's respect for him since he became captain, mentioning that even Iftikhar Ahmed considers him an elder brother.
Babar was then questioned about rumors of disagreements within the team, particularly regarding his relationship with Shaheen Afridi after the Asia Cup disappointment.
In response, Babar clarified, "Everyone respects me, and while it's true that in team meetings, there can be discussions, especially after close match losses, it was taken out of context that there was a conflict between us.
There's no truth to that. Our mutual respect remains unchanged, and we have a strong bond, like a family."