MS Dhoni Asked Mohammad Shahzad To Lose 20 Kgs For IPL Contract, He Gained 5 More Kgs
Published - 08 Dec 2023, 02:25 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:23 AM
Former Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan has shared details of a humorous conversation he had with former India captain MS Dhoni. The former international cricketers interacted with each other after the thrilling game between India and Afghanistan during the 2018 Asia Cup.
Afghanistan were on the verge of beating India and registering a historic win but the game eventually ended in a tie. Batting first, Afghanistan scored 252/8 in the allotted 50 overs. In reply, India were on 204 for 4 in the 39th over and were looking destined to register a comfortable win. However, the Men in Blue lost wickets in a heap and were bowled out for 252 with a ball remaining.
After the game, Asghar Afghan, leading Afghanistan at the time, shared a light-hearted conversation with MS Dhoni. Recounting the exchange, he revealed discussing his former teammate Mohammad Shahzad, mentioning that the wicketkeeper-batsman was a big fan of Dhoni. In a humorous reply, Dhoni jokingly stated that he would consider picking Shahzad in the IPL if he managed to lose 20 kg.
MS Dhoni Asked Mohammad Shahzad To Lose Weight
“After the tied match, I had a long chat with MS Dhoni. He is a superb captain and a god’s gift to Indian cricket. He is a nice human being. We spoke about Mohammad Shahzad a lot. I told Dhoni Bhai that Shahzad is your big fan. Dhoni said Shahzad has got a big tummy and if he loses 20 kg, I will pick him in the IPL,” Asghar Afghan told the Times of India.
“But when Shahzad returned to Afghanistan after the series, he gained 5 more kgs,” he added.
Asghar Afghan on BCCI’s role:
Asghar Afghan also talked about BCCI’s role in the rise of Afghanistan cricket. The former cricketer acknowledged the Indian board’s role in uplifting the game in Afghanistan over the years, saying:
“Honestly, BCCI has played a big role in Afghanistan’s cricket development. They supported us a lot. Since 2014 till date, BCCI has been very supportive. We were given a home ground. Afghanistan loves cricket and its cricketers.”
