After Karachi Kings’ pacer Mohammad Amir vented his frustration by throwing the ball in anger at Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam, former captain Shahid Afridi revealed that he texted Amir after the match and “scolded” him for his behaviour.
“Whenever a player doesn’t perform, or even if he does, I drop him a message for call him. Likewise, I messaged Amir yesterday. I talked to him respectfully, but I also scolded him. I told Amir, ‘what do you want?’ You have gained so much respect, you faced a blot on your reputation and from there, you made a return. You got a new life, in a way. What are you even trying to do?” Afridi said on Samaa TV.
Mohammad Amir vs Babar Azam💥#HBLPSL8 #PSL2023 #KkvPz #PzvKk pic.twitter.com/fLXOND5XH7
— Muhammad Noman (@nomanedits) February 14, 2023
“Ye koi tareeka hai? (Is this the way to play?) There are juniors around you, you are using bad words. There are fans who are disheartened to see that. Even we have used such words and sometimes, the camera used to catch us. There are families, kids watching you on television. Aggression is fine, but keep it under control,” Afridi added.
“If you want to play for Pakistan, you have to play alongside Babar only. Will you be able to look at him in the eye? Can you play under his captaincy? Focus on your performance, control your aggression, and go back home peacefully,” Afridi explained.
“He said sorry and thanked me for noticing this,” Afridi concluded.
Earlier, reacting to the incident, Amir had said that the incident happened in the ‘heat of the moment’.
“It was a heat of the moment thing and it was nothing personal [against Babar]. Bowlers should show aggression on the field, to get the best out of them. I was under pressure in the game, which is the beauty of this league. It helps you get better,” Mohammad Amir said.