Pakistani bowler Naseem Shah expressed the heartbreak and anguish experienced by the team following their loss to India in the T20 World Cup 2024. Babar Azam and his team faced criticism after they failed to chase down a target of 120 runs against India at the Nassau County Stadium.
Despite dominating the low-scoring thriller for 35 of the 40 overs, they ultimately lost the game by six runs. For Shah, his personal performance stood out as a silver lining; he achieved the best figures for his team with 3-21, including the big wicket of Virat Kohli.
In a desperate situation where the team needed 16 runs off 3 balls in the final over bowled by Arshdeep Singh, Naseem even managed to hit two fours, the most in the innings.
“There are a lot of emotions attached to such matches. I did not expect the result to turn out how it did. Some things you keep to yourself. A lot had pent up inside me, and a lot of memories flashed before my eyes at that moment… There have been very few occasions in my life when I’ve felt the need for someone to talk positively to me,” Naseem shared on Cricbuzz.
Reflecting on the criticism directed at the team after the loss, he said, “Although I wasn’t the target of fans or media, it’s hard to feel satisfied or say I did my part when the team loses. I’m a person who wants to win. I get disappointed even when I lose playing at home or in my neighborhood. I play to win, and the World Cup exit really hurt me.”
Naseem also shared the disappointment he saw in people’s eyes. He said the people approached him restaurants and asked why they lost. “Even my relatives have questioned it” he added.
But he isn’t upset with the fans, he admitted that all a player can do is to listen to the fans. He further explained that a situation like this also ignites a desire for a comeback.
