Former Pakistan cricketer Saleem Malik accused Imad Wasim of intentionally wasting deliveries during Pakistan’s T20 World Cup match against India. Malik criticized Wasim’s slow batting, suggesting that the player was playing for himself rather than for the team.
Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist highlighted Malik’s accusations, mentioning that despite the language barrier, he understood the gravity of the claims.
“A bunch of ex-Pakistan cricketers haven’t missed their teams at all, I mean Saleem Malik, of all people. I’m just reading the comments and paraphrasing, and I haven’t heard him say it but had I heard him, it wouldn’t have been to my benefit because it was in Urdu.” Gilchrist remarked.
“He accused Imad Wasim of chewing up deliveries on purpose to make them a bit more interesting. Now I don’t know if other accusations come with that,” he added with a hint of sarcasm.
Saleem Malik had stated, “He [Imad Wasim] made sure he doesn’t get out and keep bettering his batting average. If I’m a batter and I’m not getting runs then I would try taking risk, no matter if I get out. But he kept on eating up deliveries and then changed the ends with singles.”
Malik’s career ended in controversy when he was banned for life in 2000 due to match-fixing allegations. Prominent Australian cricketers Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, and Tim May were among those who accused Malik of wrongdoing.
Despite his tainted past, Malik’s comments have stirred up conversation in the media, adding another layer of intrigue to the already heated rivalry between Pakistan and India.
Imad Wasim picked up 12 wickets and scored 126 runs for Islamabad United with an average of 21.00 but he has been unable to showcase his clinical finishing for Pakistan so far in this T20 World Cup.
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