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Pakistan cricket team batter Babar Azam was involved in an explosive on-field spat with Irfan Sukkur during a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024 match on Saturday. Babar, who is currently playing for Rangpur Riders, got into a verbal altercation with Durdanto Dhaka wicketkeeper Irfan Sukkur forcing the umpire to step in. Babar looked visibly upset with Sukkur after their war of words and Dhaka batter Mohammad Naim Sheikh intervened to stop the conversation. In the video going viral on social media, Babar was heard repeatedly shouting “I am not talking to you” towards Irfan.

Coming to the match, Babar was the top performer as he guided Riders to a 79-run win over Dhaka thanks to a half-century off 41 deliveries. The Pakistan batter ended up scoring 62 off 46 balls.

Wicket Keeper: Babar ye T20 hai, test match nahi

Babar Azam: I’m not talking to you, I’m not talking to youpic.twitter.com/BrIgtTViCr

— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) January 27, 2024

Batting first, Riders posted a score of 183 for the loss of eight wickets and in reply, Dhaka were all out for 104 in 16.3 overs. Babar won the Player of the Match award for his performance.

Meanwhile, the newly-appointed acting chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shah Khawar on Friday said frequent changes in the board are not responsible for the national team’s poor on-field performances in the last one year.

Addressing the media on Friday, Khawar asserted that there were several other reasons for the team’s below-par showing.

“I don’t think changes in the board in the last one year have affected the team. It might be a minor reason, but there are other other factors and once the new board of governors is formed and the new chairman takes charge, they will look into this,” he said.

Khawar also insisted that there was no interference from the government in the cricket board’s affairs.

“It is a wrong impression that the ministry of inter provincial coordination or government interferes in cricket affairs or is taking decisions,” he said.

“The patron in chief of the board, as per powers vested in him and laid out in the PCB constitution, has taken decisions and is authorised to do this,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)