"More focused on celebration styles" - Misbah-ul-Haq blasts Pakistan cricketers
Published - 16 Mar 2024, 06:31 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:28 AM
Former skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has slammed Pakistan’s national cricket team players for their performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024. Misbah-ul-Haq expressed disappointment with the players’ celebration styles during the T20 tournament.
As the ninth season of the PSL nears its end, only two matches remain to be played. Three teams out of the six contenders remain in the tournament, while the others have been eliminated. The remaining matches include the highly anticipated final encounter.
Islamabad United is set to face Peshawar Zalmi in Eliminator 2 for a chance to advance to the final match. Notably, this season marks the first time in PSL history that the final match is slated for Monday. The final game is scheduled to take place in Karachi on March 18.
People Are More Focused On Their Celebration Styles – Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah-ul-Haq criticized players’ lack of game awareness in the PSL, emphasizing their focus on celebration styles over performance. He highlighted the need for greater attention to gameplay rather than flashy celebrations.
“People are more focused on their celebration styles than game awareness,” Misbah-ul-Haq said.
Following a rumored altercation between Pakistani cricketers and former captain Wasim Akram, Misbah-ul-Haq’s remarks have sparked significant fan discussion within the cricket community.
Shaheen Afridi Needs To Be Told That – Wasim Akram
The drama unfolded when Wasim Akram criticized Lahore Qalandars’ captain Afridi’s decision to promote himself in the batting order ahead of Sikandar Raza and David Weise during the match against the Karachi Kings.
Akram pointed out Afridi’s batting performance, emphasizing the importance of assessing the situation and utilizing the best players available in the team’s lineup for optimal results. He suggested that a different approach could have led to a higher team total.
“Shaheen needs to be told that he hasn’t become an all-rounder yet. You have world-class hitters in your team, whose job is to come and score runs in the last three overs – Wiese and Raza. Shaheen scored 1 off 3, while Raza scored 22 off 16 & Wiese 24 off 9. They took the score to 177. It’s not mandatory that if you are captain you have to come out to bat,” Akram said on a local sports channel.
“Observe the situation and whether there are better players and hitters in the dugout. If Shaheen had done that maybe they would have made 190,” he further added.
Following criticism from Akram, Afridi responded on the field with a powerful performance, scoring a fifty and celebrating with a ‘shush’ gesture, seemingly directed at the former pacer. The left-handed batter’s assertive reply came just a day after Akram’s comments.
Afridi showcased his batting prowess by scoring a rapid 55 runs from 34 balls, batting at No. 5, aiding his team in posting a formidable total of 166-4. Despite Afridi’s impressive performance, the Lahore Qalandars suffered defeat in the league stage match of the event.
Wasim Akram also criticized Abdullah Shafique’s celebratory style during the match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United. The legendary cricketer suggested that Shafique might be better suited to the drama industry than cricket.
Tagged:
Misbah-ul-Haq Pakistan National Cricket Team PSL 2024 Shaheen Afridi Wasim Akram National T20 Cup Central Punjab (Pakistan) Northern (Pakistan) Southern Punjab (Pakistan)
