Shoaib Malik opens up about big moment that led to loss in 20 20 World Cup 2021
Pakistan got to the semi-final of the 20221 20-20 World Cup. But on the big day, luck was not on their side, as they suffered a defeat at the hands of Australia. The men from down under chased down Pakistan’s target 177 with an over remaining. A game-changing knock from Mathew Wade which consisted of 41 from 19 balls turned the game completely in Australia’s favour. Pakistan had Australia on the mat as they reduced them to 96-5 in the 12th over of the chase.
One of the key moments that twisted the game in the 19th over which happened off the third ball when Hasan Ali dropped the all-important catch of Wade when Australia still needed 20 runs from 10 balls when the catch was dropped by Hasan. Wade switched gears and tore into pacer Shaheen Afridi and finished the chase in the same over by smashing successive sixes in three balls.
Pakistan lost the game, but, a gesture from the side’s all-rounder Shoaib Malik melted the hearts of cricket fans around the world; following the dropped catch, Malik ran across the field and embraced Hasan, and further gave him a pep talk to cheer the Pakistan all-rounder. A year later, Malik finally revealed what he told Hasan Ali during the moment.
Koi bhi catch nahi giraana chahta: Malik
“Koi bhi catch nahi giraana chahta. Vo itna bada match tha, knock out stage ka match tha. World T20 ka semi-final ho aur crunch situation me catch gir jaaye, vo feelings vo hi banda bata sakta hai jis se catch gira ho. Ek hi cheez mere dimaag me aayi thi, ki iski jagah main hota toh mere dil me kya chal raha hota. (No one wants to drop a catch. It was a big game, it was a knock-out match. This was the semi-final of the T20 World Cup and when someone drops a catch in such a crunch situation, only he would be able to tell what it actually feels like. I only thought, ‘what would I’ve been feeling if I had dropped a catch there’),” Malik said during a conversation on A Sports.
“I told him ki this is not the end of the world. Koi masla nahi hai, we are still in the game. Jab last ball ho jaayegi, aap kuch bhi sochna. You are standing in the hotspot, maybe next ball aapke paas fir catch aa jaaye. (I told him that it’s not the end of the world. There’s no need to worry, we are still in the game. You think all you want about it after the final ball is bowled. You are standing in the hotspot, maybe a catch comes to you again on the very next ball),” Malik revealed.
