ICC T20 World Cup 2022: "You Will Have To Be Ready For Criticism": Shahid Afridi's Brutal Remark After 'Parchi' Chants On Khushdil Shah

Shahid Afridi, a former captain of Pakistan, was direct and honest when he discussed the “parchi, parchi” chants directed toward Khushdil Shah during the team’s defeat to England in the seventh T20I.

Pakistan endured a 67-run loss in the seventh T20I of the series against England in Lahore, conceding a 3-4 series loss.

Pakistan could only get to 142/7 in 20 overs after giving up a massive score of 209/3 due to their middle order’s inability to perform. The middle order was exposed and gave into pressure after their openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were removed in single-digit scores; except for Shan Masood (56), no other batter could excite as Pakistan suffered a series loss.

The poor performance of the Pakistani team further enraged the stadium crowd, who began chanting “parchi, parchi” about middle-order batter Khushdil Shah, implying that the batter was not chosen based on his abilities but rather based on recommendations. In the series, Khushdil only managed to score 63 runs, and in the decisive game, he was out after 27 off 25 deliveries.

“You have to face criticism in international cricket”: Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi, a former captain of Pakistan, elaborated on the fan chants and stated that the players should be prepared for all types of criticism if they do not perform.

“See, there is no doubt that when you give consistent performances, the crowd will worship you. Poor form comes into every player’s life, and criticism is a part of it. But in the end, you will have to make a comeback” Shahid Afridi said.

“Everyone is expecting fours and sixes from you in the lower order and if you don’t perform for 5-6 matches in a row despite being a main player in the team, then you will have to be ready for criticism,” Afridi told Samaa TV.

“You have to face criticism in international cricket. You have to convert it into good performances. A player is tested in international cricket. If you have talent but you are not brave enough, you can’t face the challenges,” Shahid Afridi added.