Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar praises Zaman Khan who was drafted into the team after Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah ruled off the tournament owing to injuries.
Shoaib Akhtar Praises Zaman Khan Over His Performance Against SL
Pakistan Cricket team who were in need of winning their last Super Four game of the Asia Cup 2023 against Sri Lanka lost the game by 2 wickets and missed their chance of playing the Aisa Cup 2023 final.
As rain intervened in the game the officials decided to reduce the game by 8 overs per innings. Pakistan who decided to bat first scored 252 runs at the end of 42 overs and failed to defend the target and lost the game by 2 wickets.
Zaman Khan who was roped in at the last moment of the tournament, failed to bag a single wicket in his match against Sri Lanka. Even Pakistan captain Babar Azam trusted Zaman Khan and gave him the last over when the hosts were in need of defending 8 runs but Zaman failed to satisfy the expectations and let Sri Lanka win the game in a thrilling final over game.
Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar praises Zaman Khan for his efforts to defend the 8-run target in his last over.
“You’ve seen the match. Pakistan are out of the tournament. The match that was made in favour of Pakistan, was all done by Zaman Khan. He landed the day before yesterday and this boy did excellent bowling in the Pakistan Super League. Whatever chances Pakistan had of winning the match were all because of him. Shaheen Afridi also got a few wickets but credit goes to Zaman. He bowled really well,” Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Embarrassing loss. Really disappointed .
Wake up call guys!!! pic.twitter.com/qDtQWM7YJJ— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) September 14, 2023
The Rawalpindi Express also felt that Pakistan deserved to qualify for the final. But, he also admitted that Sri Lanka were better on the day.
“Pakistan deserved to win go to the Asia Cup final but they are out of the tournament. They can be criticised a lot as they were touted as the ‘favourites’ but are out of the tournament now. Unfortunately, there can’t be a Pakistan vs India match in the final, it has never happened (kabhi Pakistan, India ka match (final) ho nahi sakta, kabhi hua nahi). This was the chance but Sri Lanka deserved to be the finalists. They were the far better team,” he opined.
A heartbroken Shoaib Akhtar termed the loss ’embarrassing’ and asked Babar’s men to pull up their socks for the ODI World Cup that starts next month.
“Having said that this is a very embarrassing loss. The fact that Pakistan are out of the tournament, doesn’t look nice. Pakistan have a lot to think about. The captaincy needs to sharpen up a bit. I am very disappointed. Can’t say more,” he concluded.
India will face Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final game scheduled to be played on September 17 in R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
