‘Son, pick up your things and go back’ – Basit Ali on Sufiyan Muqeem and Abhishek Sharma on-field spat

Basit Ali and Sufiyan Muqeem. (Source – Twitter/X)

In a recent clash between India A and Pakistan A during the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024, an on-field incident drew criticism from former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali. The altercation was between Pakistan A’s Sufiyan Muqeem and India A’s Abhishek Sharma.

The match at Al Amerat saw India A secure a narrow seven-run victory over Pakistan A. However, the game saw a heated exchange between Muqeem and Sharma following the latter’s dismissal. Sharma, who had scored a quick-fire 35 off 22 balls, was caught by Qasim Akram off Muqeem’s bowling in the seventh over.

The controversy erupted when Muqeem, celebrating Sharma’s wicket, made a silent gesture towards the departing batter. This act infuriated Sharma, leading to a verbal confrontation between the two players. Umpires Chamara de Zoysa and Rahul Asher had to intervene to restore order on the field. Ali, speaking on his YouTube channel, expressed his disappointment with Muqeem’s behaviour.

“The cricket was top-class, but one thing that upset me was the incident involving Sufiyan Muqeem and Abhishek Sharma. If I were sitting in the dugout or the team manager, I would have told Sufiyan, ‘Son, pick up your things and go back.’ You haven’t even played proper cricket for Pakistan yet, and you’re already using abusive language—what kind of behavior is this?”, Basit said on his YouTube channel.

Also Read: WATCH: Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqueem engages in verbal battle with Abhishek Sharma in Emerging Asia Cup 2024

The management needs to teach young players: Basit Ali

Ali emphasized the importance of respect and sportsmanship in cricket, especially for young players. “You’re hurl(”) You’re not at that level yet. The management needs to teach young players how to respect the opposition,” he added.

Meanwhile, India is currently second on the points table and will next take on the United Arab Emirates at Al Amerat on October 21. On the other hand, Pakistan A find itself in the third position in the tally.