'Rote Hue Bahar' To 'Hum Inke Saath' - Shoaib Akhtar Changes Stance On AFG After PAK Defeat
Rashid Khan exults after Afghanistan beats PAK at the 2023 World Cup (x.com)
Afghanistan stunned Pakistan at the 2023 World Cup by eight wickets, and the Hashmatullah Shahidi and company did so with much flair, considering each of their top four came up trumps in a tense run-chase after their bowlers had restricted the ‘Men in Green’ to 282 upfront.
The outcome granted Afghanistan their first-ever ODI win over their continental rivals after seven failed attempts in the format. The win also re-affirmed Afghanistan’s meteoric rise in international cricket, as they had also upstaged defending champions England merely a week ago in another World Cup thriller.
Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar, gutted by Pakistan’s humiliating defeat, hailed Afghanistan’s insurgence and praised their knack of producing sparkling young talents despite lacking in basic infrastructure. Interestingly, the legendary fast bowler had berated the same team a year ago when Pakistan had defeated them by a wicket in a virtual Asia Cup 2022 semi-final clash in Sharjah.
Akhtar changes stance on AFG, says ‘hum inke saath hai’
Back in September 2022 during a virtual semi-final showdown between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the latter clinched a thrilling one-wicket win in the last over to book a place in the finals. During the finishing stages of the contest, Afghanistan speedster Fareed Ahmad was engaged in a heated exchange with Pakistan batter Asif Ali, which escalated further when their teammates joined in on the scuffle.
Fareed Ahmad and Asif Ali during an altercation at the 2022 Asia Cup (x.com)
When Pakistan tail-ender Naseem Shah launched consecutive match-winning hits in the last over, the entire ‘Men in Green’ site engorged in sheer ecstasy while faces of despair had enveloped over the Afghanistan camp.
After the result, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar stated that Afghanistan deserved to take such a beating from their neighbors, and berated the side further by questioning their behavior.
A year later, after Babar Azam’s troops fell short against the same opponents, Akhtar showed empathy for Afghanistan by describing them as one of their own.
A video featuring Akhtar’s contrasting claims has been circulating around social media, which gained prominence after it was shared by an Afghan social activist and cricket enthusiast Wazhma Ayoubi. Here is a look at the viral video displaying Shoaib Akhtar’s varied opinions on Afghanistan cricket team:
Watch: Shoaib Akhtar changes stance on Afghanistan
Afghanistan team is currently placed just below Pakistan at the 2023 World Cup points table, having secured two wins from their five fixtures. However, while the ‘Men in Green’ are facing a certain elimination from the tournament’s semi-final race, the Afghanistan unit is still in with a chance of securing a top four finish.
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