Shadab Khan, Pakistan’s vice-captain, has stated that he is least surprised with Asif Ali’s success as a late-order hitter in the T20 World Cup 2021. According to the leg-spinner Shadab Khan, he has seen Asif Ali achieve similar feats in domestic and franchise cricket, so he was always aware of the batter’s striking potential.
Asif Ali smashed an unbeaten 27 off 12 balls against New Zealand and followed it up with 25* off 7 against Afghanistan, which included four sixes in an over. In both matches, the 30-year-old lifted Pakistan to victory from tense circumstances.
Shadab Khan: Confident And In Form Asif Ali Can Play Like That
Shadab Khan, who was at the non-striker’s end when Asif Ali clobbered Afghanistan pacer Karim Janat for four sixes, said he was a bit angry at his partner when he refused a single during the closing stages of the match.
However, speaking to t20worldcup.com, the leggie Shadab Khan admitted: “I knew he has more power than me. He’s done it so many times in domestic cricket also. I have seen him play for Islamabad United. When he is in good form and has the confidence, he can play like that. He is a great player and now, thank God, he is performing at the international level as well. He has done so much hard work, and now it’s paying off.”
Asif Ali Never Stopped Working Hard, And His Dream Is To Win The 2021 T20I WC
30-year-old Asif Ali has not been a constant fixture in the Pakistan team, and nothing extraordinary was expected of him when he was chosen in the T20 World Cup 2021 squad.
Asked how he prepared for the tournament, the big-hitting batter explained: “I never stopped working hard. I played domestic tournaments and many leagues. There is nothing extra special about me or my talent.”
On the four sixes he hit against Afghanistan, he asserted that he had the confidence to pull it off.
Asif Ali said: “I had planned with Shoaib (Malik) that we would attack in the next over. I felt I could finish the game and I did the same. There was a single on offer but I refused it.”
Asif Ali signed off saying that he wants already qualified Pakistan to win the World Cup to give the fans some joy.
He concluded: “The performances have been very good because we have been playing as a unit. My dream is to win the World Cup and give more joy to our fans back home.”
Having already qualified for the semi-finals, Pakistan will take on Scotland in their last Super 12 encounter in Sharjah on Sunday. Big-hitting Asif Ali was nominated along with David Wiese and Shakib Al Hasan in ICC Player Of The Month Award.
Pakistan recently played four intense T20 matches and emerged victorious against teams that put up a great fight. Two of those wins, against New Zealand and Afghanistan, were credited to the stellar performance of Asif Ali in the final overs.
The undefeated team has now pledged to dedicate their possible T20 World Cup win to Asif Ali’s late daughter, Noor Fatima. The cricketer lost his 18-month-old daughter to blood cancer back in 2019. The child passed away after a prolonged fight against fourth-stage cancer while Asif Ali was on a month-long tour with the team in England.