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Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah has expressed disappointment over personal comments made by former cricketers regarding current players. In a recent chat, Naseem addressed the distinction between constructive criticism and unwarranted personal attacks, emphasizing the emotional impact such remarks have on players.
Naseem Shah condemns the personal attacks
Naseem acknowledged that fans and former cricketers have the right to critique players’ performances. He stated that discussions about bowling, batting, or mistakes are acceptable and can help players improve. However, he strongly condemned comments that go beyond performance analysis, such as remarks about players’ hairstyles or how they speak.
“When it comes to players who have actually played cricket for 10-15 years, you can discuss their performance—talk about how someone isn’t bowling well, isn’t batting well, or what mistakes they’re making. That’s fine. You can analyze what can be improved. However, I feel that getting too personal—commenting on how someone styles their hair or how they speak—crosses the line. These things hit personally,” said Naseem in a recent video.
Impact of criticism on players
Naseem pointed out that unwarranted personal remarks are particularly disheartening when they come from individuals who have played cricket at a high level for many years. He explained that while fans’ emotional reactions are understandable, former cricketers should focus on constructive feedback rather than crossing into personal territory.
“As a fan, if you watch cricket and someone says something that doesn’t make sense to you, you might think, ‘Oh, this person has never played cricket.’ When we go home, even our own brothers sometimes make comments that make us say, ‘Yeah, okay, they’ve never played cricket,” he added.
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Recent struggles in Pakistan cricket
The criticism comes during a challenging period for Pakistan cricket. The team has faced disappointing results in recent tournaments, including early exits in the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup, and 2025 Champions Trophy. These performances have led to intense scrutiny from fans and former players alike.
