Sarfaraz Ahmed insulted and abused by Pakistani fans after his team’s loss against India at The Old Trafford in Manchester
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Ever since their 89 run defeat at the hands of India, the Pakistan cricket team have endured a horrendous time. And the biggest detractors of a diabolic showing by the side have been their own supporters, flooding the internet with stinging comments targeted at individual players and the team in itself.
And one player who has been mauled the most, coming under the maximum flak has been captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. From his lacklustre intuitiveness in the match, constantly failing to come up with a different gameplan and mix-up things to his notorious yawning incident, the wicket-keeper has been rattled left, right and centre by supporters who’ve pummelled him for his flabbergasted showing.
A video to have surfaced on the internet epitomises the colossal levels to which Sarfaraz has had to face the backlash of his side’s lopsided display. The video shows the player being heckled by supporters from his own country at the Old Trafford Cricket stadium proceeding the commencement of the match between India and Pakistan.
Sarfaraz hurled with abuses
The video shows Sarfaraz standing on one side of the pitching, talking to someone after his side’s 89 run defeat when Pakistan supporters spare no expense in singling him out for incessant criticism. Targeting him for bowling first to unsparingly questioning his strategy as a captain against India, perhaps the stingiest of remarks were those of the supporters calling him fat(mota), repeatedly as the chants grew only louder.
The remarks were a clear jibe at Sarfaraz who was for quite some time now being questioned for not having the requisite fitness pertinent of an international cricketer. Shoaib Akhtar was amongst one of the voices from the country’s set of cricketers to question Sarfaraz’s lack of work ethic and fitness and this video clearly shows that the Pakistan supporters resonate the same views.
Sarfaraz is clearly taken aback by the heckling directed at him in the video. It was he only who a few days prior had claimed his country’s supporters don’t jeer players when asked if they would be jeering Steve Smith when Pakistan played Australia. It’s not taken time for his words to be rendered obsolete with his own supporters taking no time in turning against him.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz is said to have come down heavily on his team following their defeat against India with one player from the side confirming the side’s captain had blasted the players for their performances. And in emerging reports, its being said that Sarfaraz in particular lambasted Mohammad Amir and Imad, two players who he blamed for causing a rift in the team and dividing the players against him.
The Pakistan side’s captain has also gone onto ask more of his side, saying they’ll be left facing the brute of an angry support once they head back to the country if the level of performances aren’t elevated.
The Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza debacle
These aren’t the only bit of issues to have emerged from the side though with Shoaib Malik, Sania Mirza, Imad, Imam Ul Haq and a bunch of other players supported enjoying dinner at 2:00am preceding the side’s match against India. The video showing the group indulging in drinks before the pivotal encounter has sparked massive fury amongst the side’s supporters with many questioning the kind of commitment and work ethic imbedded in their bunch of players.
With just the one win from five matches, Pakistan are currently languishing in ninth position in the league standings and could see their chances of a top 4 spot being curtailed with another defeat. The side take on South Africa on 23rd June in the quadrennial tournament.
WATCH: Sarfaraz Ahmed insulted and abused by Pakistani fans
