Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib Thanks Physio for ‘Wonders’ After Hamstring Injury Scare

June 25, 2024 0 801

After Afghanistan’s head coach signaled to slow the game down during their crucial T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh, Gulbadin Naib suddenly clutched his hamstring while fielding, causing a brief halt in play.

During a critical T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh, Afghanistan’s head coach Jonathan Trott signaled for his players to slow the game down. Shortly after, Gulbadin Naib suddenly clutched his hamstring and lay on the ground in apparent pain.

The on-field umpire immediately called for a halt in play, coinciding with the arrival of rain. As Naib fell to the ground, Afghanistan’s team physio rushed to his aid, assisting the veteran cricketer off the field alongside Naveen-ul-Haq.

This has got to be the most funniest thing ever 🤣 Gulbadin Naib just breaks down after coach tells him to slow things down 🤣😂 pic.twitter.com/JdHm6MfwUp
— Sports Production (@SportsProd37) June 25, 2024

This interruption occurred just before Noor Ahmad was to bowl the fifth delivery of the 12th over, with Bangladesh struggling at 81/7 in pursuit of 116 runs. Afghanistan needed a victory to qualify for the semi-finals and, at that moment, were leading by two runs according to the DLS method.

Play resumed shortly after, with Bangladesh given a revised target of 114 runs from 19 overs. Naib miraculously recovered and returned to the field just before the 13th over began. Afghanistan ultimately won the match by eight runs, advancing to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Naib’s injury raised controversy, with some accusing him of acting against the spirit of cricket. India’s Ravichandran Ashwin even humorously suggested Naib should receive a red card. Fans and commentators speculated that Naib’s injury might have been a deliberate attempt to disrupt the game. Memes also quickly spread online, with mixed reactions from netizens.

After the match, amidst speculation about his injury, Naib posted a story thanking Panchada. He expressed gratitude to Afghanistan team physio Prasanth Panchada, crediting him for working wonders on his hamstring issue with an image captioned “Wonders can happen. My physio.”