National cricketer Asif Ali took a U-turn on a previous statement where he had said that he practices 300 sixes daily.
Ehile talking to the media, Asif Ali said, “Recently I said that I don’t drink petrol to hit 300 sixes a day? During the camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) I practiced hitting sixes, but I was wrong about this statement.”
Morover, he said “Babar Azam tries to guide all the players on the field, his greatness is that he trusted me and made me a part of his team.
In August 2022, Asif Ali said that he tries to hit 300 sixes during daily practice so that he can hit sixes during the match. He faced a lot of criticism for his statement after his poor performance in the Asia Cup.
The Delhi Police Department of India have used a video of Pakistani cricketers Shadab Khan and Asif Ali’s on-field collision in the final of Asia Cup 2022 against Sri Lanka to pass along a message of traffic safety.
The Pakistani cricketers collided while attempting to catch a skier hit by Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the 19th over of the first innings. Asif was about to grab the catch when Shadab stepped in front of him. The misfielding resulted in a lost opportunity to send the rampaging Rajapaksa back to the pavillion, as the ball went over the ropes.
Sri Lanka’s stiff target of 171 turned out too much for Pakistan as Rajapaksa’s unbeaten 71 helped Sri Lanka clinch their sixth Asia Cup title. Many Pakistani fans blamed the dropped catch for the defeat.
Delhi Police have used the video to take a jibe at Pakistan’s team.
“Ae bhai, zara dekh ke chalo,” wrote the Indian Police in the caption of the video, to raise awareness about road safety.
Sri Lanka became Asia Cup 2022 champions, defeating Pakistan by 23 runs with Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s unbeaten knock of 71 on 54 balls paving the way to victory.
Pakistani cricketers made a litany of mistakes on the field, with a dropped catch of Rajapaksa as Shadab bumped into Asif Ali while both tried to catch the airborne ball.
The collision prompted former Pakistan opening batter Ahmed Shehzad to take to twitter to vent his feelings, typing out a sarcastic tweet that triggered cricket fans.
“Boys, its as simple as “mera haiiiiiiii” or “its miiiiiiiiiine”. This has happened multiple times this tournament,” Shehzad wrote.
Boys, its as simple as “mera haiiiiiiii” or “its miiiiiiiiiine”. This has happened multiple times this tournament.
After the match, Shadab Khan posted an apology saying, ” Catches win matches. Sorry, I take responsibility for this loss. I let my team down. Positives for team”
Catches win matches. Sorry, I take responsibility for this loss. I let my team down. Positives for team, @iNaseemShah, @HarisRauf14, @mnawaz94 and the entire bowling attack was great. @iMRizwanPak fought hard. The entire team tried their best. Congratulations to Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/7qPgAalzbt
Fiery Pakistan hitter Asif Ali has been voted as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Player of the Month for October 2021, after his match-winning performances against New Zealand and Afghanistan a few days ago.
Consistent power-hitting All-round performances
These stars were voted as the Men’s and Women’s #ICCPOTM for October!
Asif smashed 12-balls for 27 in Pakistan’s clash with New Zealand, hitting three sixes when they mattered the most.
In Pakistan’s next game against Afghanistan, the Men in Green were once again in trouble, struggling against Afghanistan’s spin maestro Rashid Khan.
However, in came Asif again, with the team needing 24 runs off 12 balls. Asif did not come under pressure, hitting the ball with a straight bat and hit four sixes to ensure Pakistan’s victory.
In total, he scored 52 runs without defeat across three matches for Pakistan in October at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scoring at a strike rate of 273.68.
ICC Voting Academy member Irfan Pathan said helping Pakistan win, especially from the “jaws of defeat” is what makes Asif Ali special.
“Although he scored considerably less than other two nominated players, the contribution he made and the pressure situations from where he snatched the victories made all the difference,” added Pathan.
From the women’s cateogry, Irish skipper Laura Delany bagged the Player of the Month for October award.
Delany’s performance in Ireland’s 3-1 ODI series win over Zimbabwe was brilliant. The all-rounder impressed with the bat and the ball, scoring 189 runs at 63, and taking four wickets at 27.
Delany posted scores of 88, 35 and 68 in her three innings, scoring at a strike rate of 108.62. In the lone match where she was not required with the bat, she still contributed with the ball, taking 1/22.
When, on the last ball of the 18th over, Asif Ali refused to take a single, rather than adding a run to Pakistan’s score with the required run rate almost touching the 12-run mark, it was obvious that he was confident enough in his abilities to take his team over the line. Or so it seemed. Two nights before, his quickfire cameo had helped Pakistan cruise to victory in a grudge match against New Zealand. Against Afghanistan, he picked up from where he had left off against New Zealand and pulled it off with aplomb to ensure that Pakistan’s record in this tournament remains unsullied.
Heretofore, Asif’s selection in the World Cup squad drew a massive outcry. Many were of the view that he lacked the tools to translate his domestic exploits to the international stage and gratuitously touted him as a tulla, laparoo and fraudiya even though he had shown glimpses of his hard-hitting prowess multiple times for his PSL side. An average of 16 and strike rate below 125 – Asif’s sorry set of batting stats in T20Is prior to the tournament – are without a doubt dismal and not remotely redolent of someone who can thrive at the highest level. Steadfastly determined to prove that he is not a flash in the pan, Asif navigated the choppy waters and chose the biggest stage to rehabilitate himself.
In both the matches, Asif strode out to the middle in unnerving and high-pressure situations. When he walked out to bat against New Zealand in the 15th over, Pakistan was teetering at 87 for 5 in pursuit of 135 and the required run-rate had shot past nine an over. After kicking off his World Cup campaign with a four-off Trent Boult over the third man region, he took a liking to Tim Southee and whacked him for back-to-back sixes before pulling Trent Boult for a maximum and scoring a brace off him to clinch Pakistan’s second win in the tournament.
Against Afghanistan, when he came to bat, his side was 122 for 4 and the required run rate had crept up to more than eight with 26 runs required from the last three overs. Asif, however, only needed seven balls to get the job done. After opening his account with a single off Naveen-ul-Haq, he mercilessly dispatched seamer Karim Janat for four majestic maximums in an over to maintain Pakistan’s perfect record in the tournament. Fittingly, it was his bat from which the winning runs flowed in both the games.
To put into context how good Asif’s six-hitting has been and how hard sixes are to come by in this tournament, take a look at this stat: Asif took 19 deliveries for these seven sixes. On the other hand, Indian batsmen took 250 balls for seven sixes, New Zealand batsmen took 240 balls for seven sixes while West Indian batsmen took 147 balls to hit seven sixes.
More crucially, none of the seven sixes Asif struck against Afghanistan or New Zealand were mishits or mis-timed slogs. His pyrotechnics featured meaty blows over long-off, midwicket, extra cover and wide long-on — an indicator of his expansive hitting arc.
Although Pakistan has got world number one and world number 4 T20I batters at the top of the order, they need someone who can put the finishing touches and up the ante down the order. At the biggest stage, Asif has advertised his credentials, repaid the faith of those who had faith in him, and made a telling statement that Pakistan have found the right man in him to do that job.
Pakistan’s hitter Asif Ali has shared that the national players have decided to dedicate T20 World Cup’s victory to his late 18-month-old daughter Noor Fatima.
According to reports, Asif and his teammates have decided to name T20 World Cup’s victory after his daughter who lost her life while battling cancer.
“If we manage to win the T20 World Cup, all players will dedicate it to my daughter,” Asif was quoted as saying.
It must be noted here that Asif led Pakistan to two back-to-back victories against New Zealand and Afghanistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
After beating Namibia on Tuesday, Pakistan became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing mega event. Pakistan’s last match of the Super 12 stage will be against Scotland on November 7.
An old video clip of Pakistani hitter Asif Ali’s interview is circulating on social media in which he is sharing the story of his new Honda bike and his love for old bikes. Soon after the clip resurfaced, it was widely shared by people on social media.
Asif Ali narrates the story of his new Honda 125 and his love for old Yamaha bike! pic.twitter.com/0gWilXIq0k
In the interview, Asif said: “My name came in the list for Faisalabad team for the first time in Karachi tournament. We defeated Sialkot in the final. I was part of this team but I did not play.”
Asif Ali said that he had received a cheque for Rs55,000 for winning the final and at that time his salary was Rs5,000. He said that he slept with the cheque in his pocket so that it would not get stolen.
The national cricketer said that with this money he bought a motorcycle (125) worth Rs50,000. While his love for his old Yamaha was still there, which used to get stuck anywhere on the road. It was his grandfather’s bike that he used to ride.
He further said: “I went to play the match and came back home after a few days, but my grandfather’s motorcycle was not there. The elder brother said that he sold it for Rs5,000.”
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, England’s Ben Stokes and West Indian Carlos Brathwaite were all praises for batter Asif Ali after he led Pakistan to victory in the closely fought match against Afghanistan in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.
Taking to Twitter, Singh said: “Asif Ali showed a lot of confidence by refusing the single on the last ball and finishing it in style by hitting those four big sixes in the next over.”
“Clean and powerful hitter.”
Asif Ali showed lot of confidence by refusing single on the last ball and finishing it in style by hitting those four big 6 in the next over .. clean and powerful hitter #AFGvPAK#T20WorldCup@StarSportsIndia
Asif smashed four sixes in the penultimate over to help Pakistan achieve a hard-fought five-wicket win over the Afghan side.
With Pakistan needing 24 runs off the final two overs, Asif lifted paceman Karim Janat’s first, third, fifth, and sixth balls over the boundary to help Pakistan overhaul a tricky 148-run target.
Babar Azam also took to his social media and praised the team for a combined team effort. While the skipper also lauded Asif for “the awesome finish” from him and called his performance “cherry on the top”.
Alhumdulillah, 3/3!
Afghanistan fought well. A brilliant display of bowling from our team, especially Shaheen Shah Afridi and Imad. Fakhar was just remarkable and the awesome finish from Asif Ali was indeed the cherry on top. All eyes set on the next one! #WhyNotMeriJaanpic.twitter.com/u13FKuAKxP
Afghanistan scored a fighting 147-6 in their 20 overs with Gulbadin Naib and skipper Mohammad Nabi each scoring 35. With Asif’s help, Pakistan finished the match in the 19th over.
At the post-match ceremony Asif said: “The boundary was small from this end so I told Shoaib Malik that I’d go for it this over. Thank God we pulled it off.”
He further said: “I look at the situation and what it demands and which bowler has overs remaining, and the field setting.”
“I told Shoaib [Malik] that Naveen was bowling well, and from this end I could even score 25 in an over. So I planned for it,” he concluded.
“The bowlers bowled brilliantly at the start, but I think we gave 10-15 runs too many away,” said Babar at the post-match ceremony.
“We didn’t quite use the Powerplay as well as we hoped but Asif and Shoaib Malik at the death were brilliant. The way Asif has played many innings at the PSL, I was very confident he’d get us out of any trouble we find ourselves in,” he added.
Babar also said: “I wanted to stay till the end but got out, unfortunately. So credit to Asif Ali.”
Pakistan needed 24 runs in the last two overs. Hitting four sixes in the 19th over, Asif sealed the deal for Pakistan.
Many notables, cricketers and Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to congratulate Pakistan and thank Asif for the win. Here are a few Tweets:
Congratulations Team Pakistan. Impressive cricket by Team Afghanistan. Never have I seen a cricketing nation rise as rapidly as Afghanistan in international cricket & become so competitive. With this competitive spirit & talent the future of cricket is bright in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the power hitter took to Twitter and wrote: “Aur koi hukam Pakistan? Shukriya @isbunited aur woh sub log jinho ne mere per belief rakha mere mushkil waqt mai. #PakistanZindabad.”
Aur koi hukam Pakistan? Shukriya @isbunited aur woh sub log jinho ne mere per belief rakha mere mushkil waqt mai. #PakistanZindabad
