Shaheen Shah Afridi spoke at a press conference at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on 17 October to discuss the upcoming home ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka. Afridi stated that Babar Azam faces no pressure because he remains the backbone and primary player for the squad.
The captain returned to the Test leadership in July 2026 and recently finished a two-match away assignment against the West Indies with a 1-1 draw. During a three-match away Test series against England, Azam averaged 24.25 runs and recorded a high score of 97.
In the President's Trophy Grade-I, he scored 58 runs across four innings for an average of 14.5. Azam previously averaged 41.66 runs in a three-match ODI series against Australia, where he scored 125 runs in three innings to help Pakistan win the series 2-1.
Afridi noted that the captain has always delivered for Pakistan whenever he represents the country, adding that while planning is involved, some aspects remain outside of his control. The bowler also mentioned that Azam performed well in the last home ODI series and after the England Test series, noting that his domestic cricket efforts are part and parcel of the game.
