(Getty Images)
Amidst controversy surrounding Gulbadin Naib’s apparent injury during the crucial Super 8 match against Bangladesh in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan voiced his support for his teammate.
The Afghanistan cricket team secured a thrilling eight-run victory over Bangladesh via the DLS method, thereby qualifying for their first-ever semifinal in the T20 World Cup 2024.
However, the historic achievement was marred by controversy when Naib appeared to clutch his hamstring and fell to the ground just before rain interrupted Bangladesh’s chase on Tuesday, June 25th.
The drama surrounding Gulbadin Naib’s injury has sparked debate following Afghanistan’s dramatic victory over Bangladesh. Afghanistan, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, faced a tough challenge against Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling attack, resulting in a modest total of 115 runs.
Despite their batting struggles, Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by captain Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq, orchestrated a historic turnaround. They collectively took eight wickets, restricting Bangladesh to 105 runs in pursuit of a revised target of 114 runs in 19 overs at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St. Vincent.
The Super-8 match witnessed three rain interruptions, and Gulbadin Naib’s injury occurred at a critical juncture when both teams were evenly poised for victory.
Naib’s apparent hamstring issue and subsequent fall have sparked controversy, with accusations from some quarters that it was a staged injury. This has led to criticism of the former Afghanistan skipper, raising eyebrows and stirring debate about the integrity of his actions during the match.
Following Afghanistan’s historic qualification for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals, Rashid Khan addressed and minimized the controversy surrounding Gulbadin Naib’s injury during the crucial Super-8 clash in St. Vincent.
Rashid clarified that Naib’s cramp was a routine on-field injury and asserted that it did not significantly affect the outcome of the match. He emphasized that the incident did not lead to the loss of any overs and had no substantial impact on the game’s dynamics.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rashid said, “Well, I think he had some cramp. I’m not sure what exactly happened. I’m not following social media about it. But it was just an on-field injury. We didn’t lose any overs; rain came, and we briefly went off the field. It didn’t make a big difference in the game. We resumed after a few minutes, and everything was normal. It was just an injury that needed some attention.”
Looking ahead, Afghanistan is set to face South Africa in the first semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2024 on June 27 at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago. South Africa, alongside India, remains undefeated and in formidable form in the tournament. The second semifinal will feature India against England on the same day.
