Usama Mir, a Pakistani leg-spinner, has expressed his support for Shadab Khan after the latter received negative feedback on social media for his most recent performances. Shadab had a 40.83 average and six wickets in five games during the Asia Cup 2023, including four against Nepal.
Mir praised the crowd for their support, emphasizing that it should be reciprocal. He added that when athletes do well, they are praised, but when they have a string of losing games, they are harshly criticized. Mir stressed that Shadab Khan is not a bad cricketer despite his recent performances and that a cricketer’s value shouldn’t be determined just by a handful of games.
The idea that players are picked based on “friendship” or other considerations was also addressed by Mir, who dismissed it as nonsense. He claimed to have seen firsthand the arduous labor Shadab and the crew put into their workouts.
Mir drew on his personal experiences to discuss how quickly fans’ perceptions may shift, going from elation during his debut to receiving criticism after a few subpar performances. He pleaded with supporters to hold off on unwarranted criticism since it could harm players’ and the team’s morale.
Mir finished by expressing faith that Pakistan’s team would soon overcome its current difficulties and offer joy to its fans. He concluded with the national anthem “Pakistan Zindabad” (Long Live Pakistan), asking supporters to remember the squad in their prayers.
