Pakistani pace bowler Naseem Shah recently recalled how a jalebi (funnel cake) vendor advised him following Pakistan’s 2022 T20 World Cup final loss to England. However, Pakistan suffered a five-wicket defeat in the final as well. Naseem mentioned that when he returned home after that, a Jalebi vendor near his house shared what the bowler did wrong in the final. In his response, the talented replied that everyone makes mistakes and has never criticized his jalebis.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo’s The Cricket Monthly, Naseem Shah said: “There’s a guy who makes jalebis outside my house, and he started giving me advice about what I had done wrong in the final. I laughed and said to him, uncle ji, I’ve been buying jalebis from you for two years, have I ever said to you that the shape of your jalebis is wrong or that you haven’t made good ones? We’re human and make mistakes, you make mistakes too. Toh hamein bhi maaf kar do na [So, please forgive us too].”

However, he gave away 30 runs from four overs and remained wicketless in the 2022 T20 World Cup final. And, England chased down
Pakistan’s 137-run score in 19 overs as well. Meanwhile, Naseem Shah suffered a shoulder injury during the Asia Cup last year and was eventually ruled out of the all-important 2023 OD World Cup because of it. Meanwhile, he struggled in Pakistan’s recently concluded four-match T20I series against England.

“There’s no pain now. But match fitness is totally different to just being injury-free. If you haven’t played six months, the only way to gain that is to play more matches. This was why a good PSL [was important]. I returned at the PSL and I felt my rhythm come back, but it still took time for me to return to my best. It only happened because I was regularly playing matches,” Naseem Shah concluded.