Abdullah Shafique responds to Wasim Akram’s criticism

• Abdullah Shafique responded to criticism from Wasim Akram.
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• Akram expressed dissatisfaction with Abdullah’s celebration.
• Shafique broke his silence in a post-match press conference.

Abdullah Shafique has addressed the criticism he received from ex-Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram, who was not pleased with Abdullah’s ‘silent’ celebration after an impressive catch in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United. The catch led to the dismissal of Imad Wasim, and Abdullah commemorated the moment by putting his finger on his lips, a gesture aimed at silencing his detractors.

Wasim Akram voiced his displeasure with Abdullah’s celebration, implying that he might be better suited for the drama industry than cricket. Akram challenged Abdullah’s responsibility for the catches dropped during the Test series against Australia. In an appearance on a local TV channel, Akram said, “No doubt, great catch but who is responsible for dropping 36 catches in Australia’s Test series? Who will answer for that? Abdullah should work in the drama industry rather than cricket.”

Reacting to this, Shafique broke his silence in the post-match press conference following Karachi Kings’ victory over Lahore Qalandars. He acknowledged Akram’s viewpoint, stating that it’s understandable given Akram’s cricketing background and potentially superior insight. Shafique explained that his celebration was not pre-planned but was a spontaneous reaction in the moment.

“First of all it is his [Wasim Akram] opinion. It is ok if he is saying that because he has played cricket and he knows better. There was no though process behind the celebration. It was just a gesture in the heat of the moment,” Shafique said.

In the match against Karachi Kings, Abdullah demonstrated his batting skills by scoring his first half-century of HBL PSL 9. He scored a solid 55 runs off 39 balls, hitting five boundaries and a six. Despite his personal achievement, Karachi Kings managed to secure their fourth victory in HBL PSL 9 by defeating Lahore Qalandars by three wickets at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. Lahore set a target of 177-5, but Karachi successfully reached the target on the final ball of the last over, keeping their playoff aspirations intact.

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