Shoaib Malik comes out in self-defence, also attacks press for dragging Sania Mirza's name.
Under fire Pakistani allrounder Shoaib Malik has lashed out at country's media that he alongwith other players were out partying and smoking sheesha hours before the crucial encounter against India on Sunday in Manchester.
Video of Pakistani players partying in popular sheesha bar Three Sixty in Wilmslow Road, Manchester has gone viral on social media. But according to Shoaib Malik, they aren't from the night before the match. Shoaib who has not fired at all in the World Cup got out for a duck against India, that too of the first ball against Hardik Pandya's bowling virtually sealing his team's fate in the crucial encounter in Old Trafford, Manchester.
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Shoaib Malik tweeted in his defence :
When will Pak media be accountable for their credibility by our courts?!
— Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) June 17, 2019
Having served my country for +20 years in Intl Cricket, it’s sad that I have to clarify things related to my personal life. The videos are from 13th June and not 15th
Details : https://t.co/Uky8LbgPHJ
On behalf of all athletes I would like to request media and people to maintain respect levels in regards to our families, who should not be dragged into petty discussions at will. It’s not a nice thing to do
— Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) June 17, 2019
He said, "When will Pak media be accountable for their credibility by our courts?! Having served my country for +20 years in Intl Cricket, it’s sad that I have to clarify things related to my personal life. The videos are from 13th June and not 15th".
Alluding to the fact that Indian tennis star and his wife Sania Mirza is also being targetted, Shoaib said, "On behalf of all athletes I would like to request media and people to maintain respect levels in regards to our families, who should not be dragged into petty discussions at will. It’s not a nice thing to do".
On the other hand, Sania Mirza too went into a Twitter battle with Pak actress Veena Malik. Sania Mirza denied taking his kid to Sheesha bar and said that she is not the 'Pakistan cricket team’s dietician nor am I their mother or principal or teacher'.
Pakistan board on their part have denied any such breaking of curfew by players.
The viral video has also led to Indian tennis star Sania tweeting that whoever recorded the video had not done the right thing as it was an invasion of privacy and that players eating out with their families was not a crime.There has also been a discussion on Sarfaraz yawning on the field and many have questioned whether the PCB's decision to allow players to have their wives and children stay with them in the World Cup was right.
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With PTI inputs
1. Picture which caused all outrage
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Many Twitter users claimed that this video is from Saturday night.
Shoaib Malik with other team players was smoking Sheesha on Wilmslow Road, Manchester, on Sunday morning - 7 hours before the start of match against India #IndiaVsPakistan #PAKvsIND @TheRealPCB @hansbadvi pic.twitter.com/o8MekodEc0
— Abdul QaDeer (@abdul099) June 16, 2019
However, Shoaib Malik clarified that is from couple of days back. Malik's claim is corroborated by the fact that someone tried to troll Sania Mirza about partying few days back and Sania had said that going out is not a crime.
She had posted the clarification tweet on June 15.
That’s the video you shot without asking us,disrespecting our privacy even though we had a child with us?& got told off for doing so,& u came up with this crap?FYI ‘outing’ was dinner & yes ppl are allowed to eat if they lose a match!Bunch of fools!Try better content nxt time https://t.co/51gnkMWUYu
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) June 15, 2019
Wilmslow Road is known for hundreds of Pakistani eateries and many of the former greats savoured authentic Punjabi food here in Manchester which gave them a taste of delicacies back home. According to reports, locals are also unhappy that Pakistani players are now going to Sheesha bars ditching the traditional shops.
2. Shoaib's career virtually over?
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Former Pakistani players have come down heavily on all-rounder Shoaib Malik for his first-ball duck during the 89-run loss to India in a World Cup match, saying the veteran should consider his career over after the debacle.
Malik, 37, had said early this year that the World Cup would be his last ODI assignment with Pakistan as he would retire and focus on the World T20 next year in Australia.
But with just eight runs under his belt in three matches in the World Cup, many former players believe that Malik might just have played his last one-day international for Pakistan in Manchester on Sunday.
"He himself has announced before the World Cup that he would retire from ODIs after the event. Given his performances in the tournament so far I don't see him playing again in the remaining four matches," former test spinner Iqbal Qasim said.
The former captain, who appeared in 35 Tests before announcing his retirement from the format in 2015, has played in 287 ODIs and 111 T20 internationals as well.
Captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed and coach Mickey Arthur backed Malik for the game against India but he failed to deliver.
"I think his career is over for Pakistan and I don't see him playing any further in this World Cup. To select him again would be a big mistake," said former batsman Mohammed Yousuf said.
Malik has accumulated 7534 runs and taken 158 wickets in ODI. He made his debut for Pakistan in 1999 in an ODI against West Indies at Sharjah making him and West Indian, Chris Gayle the only two players in this World Cup with 20-year international careers.
3. PCB's clarification
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Spokesman for the PCB made it clear that no player had violated the curfew timings set by the team management. "The video under discussion was of two days back. On the night before the match, all the players were in their rooms before curfew time," he clarified.
The video in which Shoaib Malik and his Indian tennis star wife Sania Mirza are seen with Wahab Riaz and Imam-ul-Haq has led to different theories and stories on social and mainstream media. He also said that players went out with their families after taking due permission from the team manager.
However, in social media there was constant attack at Shoaib Malik and others for lackadaisical attitude towards playing and difference was made between their and Virat Kohli's approach towards playing cricket.
Heart broken Pakistan cricket fans say they saw Shoaib Malik & others smoking Sheesha at 2am on Sunday, Wilmslow Road, just few hours before fight against India;smoking Sheesha is not a crime but just few hours before crucial fight against India in the World Cup match? #PAKvIND pic.twitter.com/bcKZEwXRoC
— Malik Ali Mukhtar (@MalikAliMukhtar) June 17, 2019
