Mohammed Shami Criticised For Controversial Remarks On Inzamam-ul-Haq

Salman Butt has criticised Mohammed Shami for mocking former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq during the T20 World Cup 2024. Butt accused Shami of making inappropriate remarks about Inzamam, who also served as a selector for Pakistan.

During a YouTube podcast named 'Unplugged' with Shubhankar Mishra, Shami advised Pakistan to focus on improving their cricket instead of making baseless comments. He suggested they should select match-winners and avoid favouritism.

Inzamam-ul-Haq had questioned Arshdeep Singh's ability to reverse-swing the ball in the 15th over during the T20 World Cup 2024 final. He implied that India might be tampering with the ball and urged umpires to monitor it closely.

Butt linked Shami's comments to Imam-ul-Haq's selection in the Pakistan squad. Imam, who is Inzamam's nephew, was allegedly chosen due to personal connections. However, Butt defended Imam, stating his inclusion was based on performance, and he was dropped when he underperformed.

"Mohammed Shami's comments targeted Inzamam-ul-Haq. He targeted Inzamam by speaking about Pakistan picking their team based on personal relations, and I think this is wrong. This is wrong because if you look at Imam's record, he came into the Pakistan team on the basis of his performance. He was also dropped when he failed. Shami's remarks were below the belt and he shouldn't have said such things," Salman Butt said on his YouTube Channel.

Controversy Over Ball Tampering

Shami faced criticism from former Pakistan cricketers for his exceptional performance in the ODI World Cup 2023. They alleged that India was changing the ball while bowling.

"Yes, there was a controversy, which should've been avoided. A lot of people made statements, Inzamam also said something, Rohit Sharma also clarified, and the topic was over. But to say things about selecting players just because they are relatives is a dirty hit. Such things don't suit Mohammed Shami. He is a renowned bowler, like how Inzamam was a renowned captain," Butt added.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sacked selectors Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq after Pakistan's poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 due to allegations of favouritism in player selection.

Shami’s comments were seen as a response to these ongoing allegations against Pakistani selectors for choosing players based on personal preferences rather than merit.

The debate over player selection and ball tampering continues to stir emotions among cricket fans and experts alike.