The Rawalpindi pitch has come under serious scrutiny after England smashed record-breaking 506 runs on Day 1 of the historic Test. After much criticism even Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja went on to call it “embarrassing”. On November 3, in post-Day 3 press conference a journalist asked a similar question using Dennis Lillee‘s old quote which was followed by a witty remark by Naseem Shah but soon things got a little heated.
“There was a wicket like this a long time back in Faisalabad and Dennis Lillee had said that he would like to be cremated on a pitch like this when he dies. Do you think it was a wicket like that?” the journalist asked.
Naseem took it in a sporting way and replied: “Sir ab aap mujhe maarne ke chakkar me hain (You are getting into conversations around me dying)”.
However, the journalist did not like something the moderator/media manager had said. The journalist did not mince his words as he said, "Meri topi, ye salwaar kameez dekh ke ye na soche ki mai naya aya hu. Ye saare bacche hai mere saamne. (Don't look at my clothes and think that I am new here. They are all kids in front of me)”.
"Mujhe sawaal puchne de na, ye kya tareeka hai. Aap mujhe batayenge tareeka. Aap paida nai hue the tab se mai sports journalism karra hu. Tareeka aap batayenge mujhe? (Let me ask the question, what kind of behaviour is this. Will you teach me how to talk? You weren't even born when I started out in sports journalism. You will teach me how to talk?)".
Youngster Naseem stepped in and tried to calm down the journalist by apologising to him on the moderator's behalf. Also, he asked the journalist to complete his question.
In the first innings, Naseem got three wickets for 140 runs in his 24 overs. In England's second innings, he also got rid of England opener Ben Duckett for a golden duck on Day 4.
