Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has openly voiced his concerns about the personal remarks directed at players, particularly during periods of poor team performance. He emphasized how such comments can negatively affect a player’s morale. Naseem’s statements come at a time when the national team has been struggling, prompting former Pakistani cricketers to criticize the current squad’s lackluster performances with personal remarks.
Team’s Challenges and Criticism
Under Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership, Pakistan has encountered multiple setbacks recently. The team exited in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted on home soil, and suffered first-round eliminations in both the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Furthermore, they finished last in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle. These disappointing results have drawn widespread criticism from ex-players and fans alike.
Naseem’s Perspective on Personal Criticism
In a video recently released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and reported by GeoSuper.tv, Naseem Shah addressed the type of criticism he and his teammates frequently face. The 22-year-old pacer drew a clear line between constructive, performance-related feedback and unwarranted personal attacks. He noted that while it’s fair for former cricketers to critique a player’s on-field efforts, personal remarks go too far.
“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 explained.
He further elaborated, “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. 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.”
Naseem’s Role as Concussion Substitute and Half-Century
Recently, Naseem Shah who was not included in team’s playing XI in the second match of the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, stepped in as a concussion substitute for fellow pacer Haris Rauf. He made an impressive contribution, scoring 51 runs off 44 balls game that New Zealand ultimately won by 84 runs.
Struggles and Resolve to Recover
Although excluded from the T20I squad for the New Zealand series, Naseem remains a part of the ODI lineup. Reflecting on the harsh criticism players often endure, he acknowledged that fan reactions stem from their deep love for cricket. “Fans make comments, and that’s understandable because they watch cricket passionately. Even when we were kids, we would 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,” Naseem said.
