Naseem Shah criticises personal remarks from former cricketers

Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah shared his thoughts on the criticism cricketers face, particularly from former players and fans when the team loses a match due to poor performance.

The video featured several top Pakistani cricketers, including Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, discussing various aspects of the game and the scrutiny that comes with being in the public eye.

In an Eid special video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Naseem addressed the nature of criticism that players often receive, emphasizing the difference between constructive analysis and personal attacks.

The young fast bowler noted that while fans expressing opinions about cricket is understandable, unwarranted personal remarks from former players can be disheartening.

"As a fan, if you watch cricket and someone says something that doesn’t make sense to you, you might think, 'Oh, this person has never played cricket.' When we go home, even our own brothers sometimes make comments that make us say, 'Yeah, okay, they’ve never played cricket,'" Naseem remarked.

He further highlighted that constructive criticism from experienced cricketers is valuable and can help current players improve their game.

However, he expressed concern about former cricketers making comments that go beyond performance analysis.

"But when it comes to players who have actually played cricket for 10-15 years, you can discuss their performance—talk about how someone isn’t bowling well, isn’t batting well, or what mistakes they’re making. That’s fine," he said.

"You can analyze what can be improved. However, I feel that getting too personal—commenting on how someone styles their hair or how they speak—crosses the line. These things hit personally," he added.

The right-arm pacer's remarks align with those of Fakhar Zaman, who also appeared in the video and spoke about respecting former cricketers despite their criticisms.

"Fakhar Zaman mentioned that we look up to them as legends. So, should we start ignoring them just because they make personal remarks? Should we stop listening to them altogether, even when they have something meaningful to say?" Naseem questioned.

The young pacer acknowledged that fans' reactions, especially during a team's poor performance, are part of the sport’s culture.

He admitted that he, too, had critiqued teams as a child but pointed out the difference between emotional fan reactions and targeted personal criticism from former cricketers.

"Fans make comments, and that’s understandable because they watch cricket passionately. Even when we were kids, we’d criticize the team when they lost. But if you’ve played cricket for 15 years and still make comments that have nothing to do with the game, it does hurt," he concluded.

Pakistan's bowling has been under scrutiny since their underwhelming performances in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025.

Looking at the pace trio's performance in the two matches they played against the Kiwis and the Men in Blue, their bowling spells were nothing short of expensive, as they conceded runs against both opponents.

Shaheen Afridi was expensive in both matches, bowling 10 overs and conceding 68 runs without taking a wicket at an economy rate of 6.80. His spell against India was also not up to the mark, as he bowled eight overs, conceding 72 runs while picking up two wickets at an economy rate of 9.25.

Similarly, Naseem Shah bowled 10 overs, picked up two wickets, and conceded 63 runs against the Blackcaps. In his match against India, he remained wicketless in his eight-over spell, giving away 37 runs.

Lastly, Haris Rauf was the most expensive bowler in the match against New Zealand, conceding 83 runs in his 10-over spell while picking up two wickets. He was wicketless against India, where he bowled seven overs and conceded 52 runs.