During a crucial T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh, Gulbadin Naib impressed commentators with his dramatic acting skills.
With Afghanistan close to securing a spot in the semi-finals, Bangladesh faced a challenging situation when rain interrupted the game with them behind on the DLS system.
Head coach Jonathan Trott, sensing the gravity of the moment, signaled his team to slow down. At that critical juncture, Gulbadin, positioned at first slip, suddenly grabbed his left thigh and collapsed, appearing to suffer from cramps.
Commentator Simon Doull was visibly annoyed, likening Gulbadin’s actions to an award-worthy performance on screen.
“Oh no no no, sorry. I can’t accept that. I’m not buying it. Even Rashid Khan doesn’t like it. It seems like they’re just stalling. I understand, but I really don’t approve of this. It’s not okay. Maybe they would have gone off anyway because of the rain, but this doesn’t look good.
With the Euros happening in football, that might be a better fit for you,” he commented, while a clip of Gulbadin lying face down flashed on the screen. Captain Rashid Khan himself was surprised, almost urging Gulbadin to get up and keep playing, thinking his teammate might be pretending to get a break.
However, when they replayed the incident, the mood of the commentators changed dramatically as they burst into laughter on live TV upon seeing Gulbadin fall in slow motion. It was even funnier to watch Gulbadin acknowledge Trott’s message with one hand while using the other to clutch his left hamstring as if in pain.