A score of Afghani players allegedly took a dig at the exit of Pakistan from the ICC ODI Men’s Cricket World 2023. A few of them took to their social media and trolled Pakistan for not qualifying for the semi-final of the World Cup.
Afghan cricketers who trolled Pakistan included Naveen-ul-Haq and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The cryptic Instagram stories came after New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka, almost dashing the hopes of the Pakistan Cricket team to qualify for the semi-finals.
Pakistan now faces a formidable challenge, needing to defeat England by approximately 287 runs or with 284 balls to spare to replace New Zealand in the semi-finals. The enormity of this task presents a monumental challenge for Babar Azam’s team, with the odds seemingly stacked against them.
Simultaneously, Afghanistan finds itself in a similarly uphill battle, requiring a victory against South Africa by around 438 runs to keep any hopes of qualification alive. Unfortunately, their dream of a historic semi-final appearance appears to be fading, especially after a heart-wrenching defeat to Australia. Despite reducing Australia to 91/7 in pursuit of 292, Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten 201, executed with ‘no footwork’ due to cramps, shattered Afghanistan’s aspirations.
In the lead-up to Pakistan’s crucial match against England, Pakistani all-rounder Shadab Khan injected a touch of humor into the tense situation by engaging in light-hearted training. He mimicked Glenn Maxwell’s famous ‘no footwork’ shots in the nets, adding a moment of levity to the high-stakes scenario.
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However, the aftermath of New Zealand’s win and Shadab’s training session took an unexpected turn on social media. Afghanistan’s Naveen-ul-Haq and Rahmanullah Gurbaz posted cryptic Instagram stories that caught the attention of cricket enthusiasts. Naveen wrote, “Footwork No Footwork But. Program Abhy sahi se warh gaya,” and Gurbaz reposted the story with the comment, “Wargyaa.”
These seemingly provocative Instagram stories stirred frustration among Pakistani fans, who swiftly took to social media to express their displeasure and criticize the two Afghanistan players for their comments. The T20 World Cup continues to deliver unexpected twists and turns, both on and off the field.