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Pakistan legend Inzamam-ul-Haq expressed dissatisfaction with Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi's choice to bat higher in the order, arguing that the team had other specialist batters who could have effectively handled the task. The PSL 2024 clash between Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators turned out to be one of the tournament's highlights, with excitement peaking as Lahore's captain Shaheen Afridi took an unusual spot in the batting lineup and delivered a stellar performance.
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Lahore Qalandars lose despite Afridi's batting blitz
Batting at number 5, Afridi unleashed an aggressive onslaught, marking a swift half-century in just 28 balls and setting his team up for a commanding stance in the match against Quetta Gladiators on Sunday (11th March). Afridi concluded his innings with 55 runs off 34 balls, boasting a strike rate of over 161, including two fours and four sixes. His dynamic performance propelled Lahore Qalandars to a score of 166 runs over 20 overs.
However, Inzamam-ul-Haq criticised the 91-run stand between Abdullah Shafique (59*) and Shaheen Afridi, noting that despite batting together for 14 overs, they should have escalated the score beyond 200 rather than settling at 166.
Inzamam Ul Haq lambasts Shaheen Afridi
“This partnership between Abdullah Shafique and Shaheen Afridi… if you look at the scorecard, then it looks very impressive, scoring 55 off 34 balls and the other scoring 59 off 39 balls. But the scorecard doesn’t do justice to it. They played all the overs – almost 14 – and all you could take the total to was 167, whereas it should have been 200-plus. Did anyone feel that Lahore will be able to win from here? Or will Lahore defend it?,” Inzamam shared his insights during a conversation on Pakistani channel.
Inzamam-ul-Haq also pointed out that it wasn't in the team's best interest for Afridi to advance up the batting order and score runs. He highlighted that the presence of players like David Wiese and Sikandar Raza in the squad could have altered the outcome.
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Inzamam also stated that the Lahore Qalandars should shift their focus away from individual achievements, as this approach could undermine the team's collective performance.
“Shaheen coming in to bat at No. 5 but scoring at that pace is not good for the team. When you have specialists such as David Wiese and Sikandar Raza, the score could have been better. Oh bhai… tez khel (Boss, score faster). They need to take care of one big fact. If you start getting into individual efforts, the team’s cause will go for a toss,” he concluded.
The Lahore Qalandars were unable to secure victory as the Quetta Gladiators successfully reached the target, winning the match with six wickets to spare.
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