Hashmatullah Shahidi reveals reason he got back on feet despite getting hit on the head by Mark Wood during Eng vs Afg match at Manchester
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During the 24th match of the ongoing Cricket World Cup between England vs Afghanistan at The Old Trafford, English pacer Mark Wood bowled a nasty bouncer at the Afghan middle-order batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi to send a massive concussion scare to everyone present at the stadium.
It happened during the 30th over of the second innings. Afghanistan were merely playing a catch-up game whilst chasing a daunting total of 397 posted by England in 50 overs. During the 5th delivery of the over, Mark Wood, who has bowled at a severe pace at the World Cup so far, hit a nasty bouncer which hit Shahidi on the back of his helmet.
Shahidi took his eyes off the ball just before the moment it hit him. As a result, Shahidi immediately fell on the ground as it apparently appeared to be a serious case of concussion.
But, after some medical attention, he was back up on his feet, sending everybody a sigh of relief.
🤕 Hashmatullah Shahidi is hit by a bouncer from Mark Wood.
He’s back on his feet though, and we’re glad to see him continue his innings 🙌 #ENGvAFG#AfghanAtalan pic.twitter.com/ejMu4U6wLF
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 18, 2019
Hashmatullah Shahidi — NINTH Fifty in ODIs
Before being struck on the helmet: 24 runs off 54 balls
After being struck on the helmet: 28 runs in 14 balls#CWC19 #ENGvAFG #AfghanAtalan pic.twitter.com/pHBzEHfA9e— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) June 18, 2019
“The ICC doctors came to me, and our physios, my helmet was broken in the middle. They told me just ‘let’s go’. I told them I can’t leave my team-mate at that moment.”
Hashmatullah Shahidi on why he carried on batting today.
Cricket has a long way to go on concussion.— Tim (@timwig) June 18, 2019
Given their limited ability with the bat, Afghanistan never looked in contention to chase down 397 posted by England. They in fact lost both their openers (including their captain Gulbadin Naib) within the first 12 overs.
But, the Afghan batsman made sure that they do not give in without a fight, although in a lost cause. Useful contributions from Rahmat Shah (46 off 74), Asghar Afghan (44 off 48), and Hashmatullah Shahidi (76 off 100) made sure that the English bowlers had to toil hard to get the better of them.
“Was on my feet for my mom”- Shahidi
Post the match, Shahidi opened up on the reason why the left-hander was back on his feet moments after the nasty blow. And it was his mother.
Hashmatullah said one of the reasons he had got up quickly after being stuck was that he knew his mother and his family back home would be watching.
When the ICC doctor and the team physio attended to him, Hashmatullah said he knew what he had to do. “They told me ‘let’s go’ and I said ‘no. I can’t leave my team at the moment because my team needed me’ and so I carried on.”
