David Warner tears into Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan at PSL captains’ press conference
Published - 26 Mar 2026, 12:04 PM | Updated - 26 Mar 2026, 12:06 PM
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has always been in the limelight due to their team combinations, match-fixing scandals, or because of their players fighting in public places. Recently, they have again come into the light when the former Australian player David Warner was seen a little bit frustrated and irritated just before the start of the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) from Thursday, making it a much bigger headline in international cricket now.
A few days back, we heard alarming news that players are giving more emphasis to the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the Pakistan Super League. Both leagues are falling in almost the same window due to the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. This clash is causing several international stars to withdraw from their respective PSL teams to be part of the 19th edition of the IPL, which is a matter of big concern for the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Not only that, weeks ago, there was another news that the league might be organized behind closed doors. This is due to the ongoing crisis of fuel in the country and the war between West Asian countries, which has impacted the whole region. Amidst this, there was an unknown resignation over the Pakistan Cricket Board's policy on its employees. This includes former skipper and selector Sarfaraz Ahmed and women's team mentor Wahab Riaz, who were restricted from working for franchises in the Pakistan Super League while being on the board's payroll.
David Warner Was Not Seen Happy!
Legendary Southpaw batter David Warner is considered one of the most destructive T20 batsmen all over the world. After retiring from International cricket, he has several times enjoyed the gentleman’s game by participating in various global leagues. However, during the pre-tournament captains' press conference, Karachi Kings captain David Warner was clearly irritated with his fellow skippers.
What was the incident?
The incident happened while David Warner was speaking on his team's chances and their strategy for the season. While he was talking, Marnus Labuschagne (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Lahore Qalandars), Mohammad Rizwan (Rawalpindi), Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi), and Saud Shakeel (Quetta Gladiators) were busy discussing something else and laughing among themselves.
At that moment, Warner got very irritated and felt disturbed. He went up to them and asked what was wrong, saying, "Sorry gentlemen, we have got school kids here." This statement showed his frustration regarding the lack of seriousness in the meeting.
Pakistan Minister’s Unusual Statement
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has shared a very unusual statement. He said that the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has requested all of Pakistan to "restrict their movements" because of the severe fuel crisis, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. This crisis has hit the tournament hard.
The PSL has been reduced from six original venues to just two. Now, all matches are scheduled to be played only in Lahore and Karachi to save fuel and transport costs. Additionally, the grand opening ceremony, which was planned in Lahore, has also been called off.
"The Prime Minister requested all of Pakistan to restrict their movements because of the fuel crisis. We closed schools and instituted work from home and increased the number of Eid holidays. We don't know how long this war will last," Naqvi said, explaining the desperate situation.
Despite these massive hurdles, the PSL is set to begin on 26 March, with the final scheduled for 3 May. The world is watching to see if PCB can pull off this tournament amidst such a global and internal crisis. The Opening game will be played between defending champions Lahore Qalandars against the new franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
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