Former PCB head Zaka Ashraf refutes claims of groupings in Pakistan cricket

Zaka Ashraf, the former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman held responsible for starting a slide in the fortunes of the national team, has denied any groupings in the dressing room.

Ashraf also brushed aside that his decision to appoint Shaheen Shah Afridi as the national T20 captain and Shan Masood as the Test captain after last year's ODI World Cup had sparked a rift in the dressing room.

There were no differences between Babar Azam or Shaheen even after I decided to have the latter as the T20 captain, Ashraf said on a local news channel.

"No, the unity didn't end (after removing Babar Azam as captain). In fact, the unity improved. When we told him to play as a player, which is his talent, but as a captain, his performance is not good, he agreed.

Shaheen was sacked as the national T20 captain after just a series in New Zealand and was also dropped for the second Test against Bangladesh last week due to poor form.

New Chairman Mohsin Naqvi reinstated Babar as the T20 skipper, while