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Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed indulged in a verbal spat with veteran cricketer Asad Shafiq during a Sindh Premier League match on Wednesday, January 31. The incident took place during the match between Iftikhar’s Karachi Ghazi and Shafiq’s Larkana Challengers at the National Bank Stadium. In the eight over, Iftikhar dismissed Shafiq and gave the opposition captain a fiery send-off. However, Shafiq lost his cool at Iftikhar as he confronted the Pakistan all-rounder for his behaviour. In the end, the umpires and the players intervened and separated the two before the matter escalated further.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
Iftikhar Ahmed got aggressive with Asad Shafiq
Was this a bit on the unprofessional side? Who’s wrong here? #Iftimania pic.twitter.com/QIqDGdcFSl
— Alisha Imran (@Alishaimran111) January 31, 2024
After the match, Iftikhar took to social media to apologise for his behaviour.
The player revealed that he had also personally apologised to Shafiq following the game and suggested that he should not have reacted in such a manner.
I am extremely apologetic for my behaviour in the field today. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did in the heat of the moment. I’ve apologised to @asadshafiq1986 Bhai in person after the match & have always held great regards for him. We have played a lot of cricket together.
— Iftikhar Ahmad (@IftiMania) January 31, 2024
Meanwhile, Shafiq announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2023 after experiencing a dip in his passion for the game.
“I am not feeling the same excitement and passion playing cricket and neither do I have the same fitness levels required for international cricket. Which is why I have decided to say goodbye to all cricket,” he told a press conference after leading Karachi Whites to the National T20 Championship title.
Asad formed the backbone of the Pakistan Test batting line-up from 2010 to 2020 scoring 4660 runs in 77 games at a healthy average of 38.19 including 12 hundreds and 27 fifties.
Asad along with Azhar Ali, Younis Khan and Misbah ul Haq formed the core of Pakistan’s Test batting.
After the spot-fixing scandal of 2010 in England, Asad was seen as the perfect image of Pakistan cricket, clean and non controversial and throughout his career he preferred to keep away from the media and limelight.
Asad also said he had never been pressured to take any decisions in his international cricket and he always did what he felt was best.
(With PTI Inputs)
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