PSL 9: Shadab Khan ‘not happy’ with Imad Wasim treatment by crowd
The Islamabad captain believes a match-winner shouldn’t be treated that way
Islamabad United skipper Shadab Khan was not happy with the way his teammate Imad Wasim was treated by the crowd in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.
Imad, 35, has faced unsettling chants of “Babar Babar” towards him in the PSL 9 and Shadab believed that such treatment for someone who has represented Pakistan for so long is sad.
During the second eliminator between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi at the National Stadium Karachi, the chants once again echoed every time Imad was fielding near the boundary line and when he came to bat in the second innings.
Shabad spoke up in favour of Imad after the match and expressed his sympathy with his teammate emphasising that the 35-year-old's contributions to Pakistan shouldn't be ignored.
"I haven't had such a conversation with Maddy bhai, but if such a thing were to happen to me, obviously it would be saddening because playing for Pakistan for such a long time, performing for Pakistan, and then our crowd doing such things,” Shadab said.
“Obviously as a player, you feel like, 'I've played for this country, I've won matches for this country, and the people of our country treat us like this,' so it does feel a bit."
Shadab then revealed that he talked to Imad when the 35-year-old announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2023. He hoped that the left-handed all-rounder would reconsider his decision as the 2024 T20 World Cup is approaching.
"I want to, in fact, when Imad made the decision, I had also told him that I didn't want him to leave. Because Pakistan needs players like him. God willing, if there is a discussion with him, hopefully, he will come back because the World Cup is approaching and the way he is performing and his experience in CPL, Pakistan definitely needs him," Shadab said.
Imad has been performing at the highest level in the ongoing PSL 9 and was Islamabad’s key player in their must-win group match against Multan Sultans, bowled a world-class spell of 3-12 against Quetta Gladiators in the first eliminator, and scored 59* (40) against Peshawar Zalmi in the second eliminator.
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