• Naveen-ul-Haq was not included in Afghanistan's 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023.

  • Fans were left disheartened after Naveen-ul-Haq's snub from the team.

Naveen-ul-Haq indirectly reacts to snub from Afghanistan’s Asia Cup squad; fans express disappointment over no battle with Virat Kohli
Naveen-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli (Image Source: Twitter)

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The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) recently unveiled a strong 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023. However, the roster raised eyebrows as young Afghan cricket sensation Naveen-ul-Haq was left out of the team, leaving cricket enthusiasts pondering the reasoning behind this decision.

It is worth mentioning that Naveen has represented Afghanistan in seven One Day Internationals (ODIs) so far and boasts an impressive record of 14 wickets at an economy rate of 5.78. He has also demonstrated his prowess in the limited-overs format by playing in various domestic and international leagues. The Afghan seamer’s recent stint was with Leicestershire in the Vitality Blast, where he bagged four wickets in five games.

Apart from this, Naveen also impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, claiming a total of 11 wickets in eight matches for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and also is laced with immense experience of playing in big tournaments like Big Bash League (BBL), Lanka Premier League (LPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

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Nevertheless, despite his commendable records and experience at the young age of 23, the right-arm pacer failed to secure a spot in the national set-up for the Asia Cup 2023. Naveen’s absence from the Asia Cup squad raised questions among fans and cricket experts alike. The bowler himself also shared his pain in an indirect manner.

In an intriguing turn of events, Naveen took to his Instagram account to share a cryptic message alongside a picture of himself. The caption read, “No matter how well your eyes adjust to darkness, you will never mistake it for light.” While it remains unclear whether this post was directly related to his exclusion, it does reflect his disappointment and emotions.

Naveen's Instagram post
Naveen’s Instagram post

Fans disappointed over no Naveen-ul-Haq vs Virat Kohli battle in Asia Cup 2023

Another reason for fans’ collective letdown is the missed opportunity to witness a face-off between Naveen-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli. The two cricketers were involved in a heated altercation during the IPL 2023, and the fans were eagerly anticipating a rematch between the two in the Asia Cup, hoping for a fiery showdown that would rekindle the rivalry. However, Naveen’s absence from the squad has dashed these hopes for the time being.

Here’s how fans reacted to Naveen’s snub:

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About the Author:
VISHWANATH HARIHARAN
Vishwanath Hariharan is Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. From breaking news stories to in-depth features and opinion pieces, he has covered a wide range of topics. Vishwanath is very fond of watching cricket. Like many others, he too grew up watching, playing, and imitating his favourite players of the game. MS Dhoni is like a demigod to him. You can connect with him at vishwanath.hariharan@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter & Linkedin.