Pakistan’s disappointing loss to India in the T20 World Cup 2024 has sparked a wave of criticism, with former captain Salim Malik making particularly harsh comments directed at all-rounder Imad Wasim. Malik, on the Pakistani news channel 24 News, accused Wasim of deliberately hindering the team’s chase of India’s modest 120-run target.
Wasim’s batting performance raised eyebrows. He took 23 deliveries to score a meager 15 runs, contributing significantly to the Pakistani batsmen’s struggle that saw them consume 59 dot balls. Malik pointed the finger directly at Wasim, suggesting his cautious approach prioritized his batting average over the team’s urgent need for runs.
“You look at his innings and it appears as if he was wasting balls not scoring runs and making things difficult in the run-chase,” Slaeem Malik scathingly remarked.
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Malik further questioned the team management’s decision to promote Wasim up the batting order. He argued that Wasim’s lack of recent match practice made him an unsuitable choice for such a crucial position.
“He [Imad Wasim] didn’t get to play much cricket since the last PSL,” SaleemMalik stated. “Shadab Khan, who scored 40-odd against the USA in the last game, shouldn’t have been promoted up the order. Sorry, but I would like to question why he [Imad Wasim] was promoted up the order, given that he hadn’t got enough chances before [the World Cup].”
These strong accusations haven’t gone unnoticed by the cricketing community. Former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist took a clear jab at Malik, highlighting the irony of such accusations coming from a player with a tainted past.
Adam Gilchrist finding it ironic that a convicted fixer like Saleem Malik is accusing Imad Wasim of “underperforming deliberately” against India.
Pakistani ex-cricketers are international embarrassment pic.twitter.com/qYSW5AnjBT
— yang goi (@GongR1ght) June 11, 2024
“A bunch of ex-Pakistan cricketers haven’t missed their teams, at all,” Gilchrist said with a hint of sarcasm. He then specifically referenced Malik’s history, stating, “Saleem Malik, of all people…” before adding, “I’m just reading the comments and paraphrasing, and I haven’t heard him say [it] in Urdu, but had I heard him, it wouldn’t have been to my benefit.”
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Adam Gilchrist didn’t stop there. He seemingly extended his criticism to another former Pakistani cricketer, Shoaib Akhtar, known for his outspoken social media presence. “Then we have Shoaib, who seems to have a tweet ready, every time they play,” Adam Gilchrist concluded with a sly smile.
The controversy surrounding Pakistan’s loss to India highlights the intense scrutiny faced by national teams in major tournaments. While Malik’s accusations are severe, Gilchrist’s comments raise questions about the credibility of such criticism coming from figures with their own controversies. The debate surrounding Pakistan’s performance adds another layer to the drama unfolding in the T20 World Cup.
