Shaheen Afridi doesn't spare Mohammad Rizwan, takes brutal dig at Pakistan captain post PSL win: 'Koi kisi ka boss nahi'

Hindustan Times

26-05-2025

Lahore Qalandars, on Sunday, became the second-most prolific team in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), after Islamabad United, as they beat Quetta Gladiators by six wickets in front of a packed house of 34,000 fans at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to lift their third PSL title. A 59-run match-winning stand between Kusal Perera and Sikandar Raza, off just 19 balls, helped Lahore chase down 202 with one ball to spare.
After the win, Shaheen Afridi, who became the only-ever captain to lead a single PSL franchise to three title wins, did not spare Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan as he took a brutal dig at him in the post-match press conference.
Shaheen, who took three wickets in the final and finished as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 19 scalps, was asked how he regained his form in white-ball cricket, and he said: "Firstly, I'm really thankful to God that we won the third PSL trophy. Even Ramiz Raja asked me at the toss about my form, and I told him the same thing: I am still the same Shaheen; I have neither changed nor will I."
Even Lahore Qalandars owner Sameen Rana, who also attended the press conference in Lahore, took a cheeky dig at Rizwan when asked the secret behind the team's success and how every player managed to perform and contribute to the title win.
"Shaheen is not just a Lahore Qalandars player; he is part of our family. He does give credit to me and Atif, but the fact is that we have been running this team for 10 years, and Shaheen became the captain four years back, and we have won the PSL three times since. The most important aspect of player management is trust. When you create an environment where you can trust each other, you get results like this. But if you start judging people, that's unfortunate. Here at Lahore Qalandars, we don't judge players, we trust and back them. And when you do that, with all your heart, not for the sake of doing it, the results will go your way," he said.
After being appointed the captain in 2022, Shaheen led Lahore to back-to-back PSL title wins, before incurring a horrid 2024 season, where they finished bottom of the table. They had managed just one win in nine games as Shaheen came under criticism, and later was even removed as the Pakistan captain for the T20 World Cup last year. However, he and Lahore bounced back in style this year, where they finished fourth in the league stage, battled through the Eliminator stage and reached the final.
"One player does not make the entire team," the captain said. "Tomorrow, if there is no Shaheen, it will not affect the team, and the credit goes to the management for this. Koi kisi ka boss nehi hai (No one is the boss here). Every player is respected and heard. And when there is an environment like this, any player and come and perform."
The incident had happened during the Champions Trophy earlier this year, in the match against New Zealand, where Rizwan was left fuming at Shaheen after a delivery from the fast bowler beat took the inside edge of the batter and went for a boundary. The Pakistan captain was seen saying something animatedly to Shaheen, and the latter retaliated by hurling a mouthful.
Even former New Zealand quick Simon Doull, on air, disagreed with Rizwan's body language, as he said: "I'm sorry, but you cannot be having a go at the bowler there. It was a genuinely good delivery."