Pakistan’s ODI captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi,i praised star batter Babar Azam on Sunday, calling him the “backbone” of the national team after Pakistan sealed another series win against Sri Lanka. Speaking at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Shaheen expressed gratitude for back-to-back victories and said every player had given their best for the country.
Afridi credited the team’s collective effort for the dominant ODI series win. He said the squad had been waiting for Babar Azam’s century, and the former captain proved his class once again. Shaheen also praised Rizwan Ahmed for performing strongly in his senior role and highlighted Wasim Junior’s impressive return after recovering from injury. He added that all bowlers played a key role and Pakistan would now focus on maintaining momentum in the upcoming T20 tri-series.
Sri Lanka’s batting coach Julian Wood acknowledged Pakistan’s strong cricketing standards and said his side showed improvement despite the disappointing result. He noted that early wickets in the final ODI shifted the match out of their control. Wood said the team remains focused on World Cup preparation and cannot afford to dwell on setbacks.
He described the Rawalpindi experience as positive and appreciated the support of Pakistani fans. Looking ahead, he said the T20 tri-series would require a fresh strategy due to the change in format.
