Shadab Khan trolled heavily for dropped catches, says he let Pakistan down

A certain Arshdeep Singh would understand how miserable he feels.

Allrounder Shadab Khan is getting the stick on social media for his fielding lapses in the final against Sri Lanka on Sunday that may have cost Pakistan the Asia Cup 2022.

Things were going okay till Sri Lanka were 58/5 and Shadab had bamboozled and bowled Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka with a wrong one. Then Bhanuka Rajapaksa started counterattacking in the company of Wanindu Hasaranga, and later, Chamika Karunaratne, the last of the recognised batsmen.


With the score at 142/6 Rajapaksa skied a lofted ondrive of Haris Rauf and Shadab at deep mid-on backpedalled and tipped the catch over his head. Catch dropped #1.

At the score at 149 for 6 in the penultimate over, Bhanupaksa again got more height than distance in a big hit against Muhammad Hasnain. Asif Ali at long on moved left and lined up for the catch, and it was about to drop into his hands when Shadab came running in from deep midwicket with apparently no warning, shoulder-charged Asif and tipped the ball over the ropes for six. Catch dropped #2.

Rajapaksa made good use of those lapses in the final over and Sri Lanka finished with 170/6, a total which proved a bit out of reach of the Pak batters.

Fans on social media went after Shadab with a battery of memes.




Shadab who picked 1/28 in his four overs, could score only 8 runs as the Pak batting collapsed in the second half of the run chase. There were also some who commiserated with him.

Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 23 runs to take home the Asia, a victory made largely possible by the stupendous fielding and catching they displayed in the final moments of the match.

A miserable Shadab later posted to Twitter: "Catches win matches. Sorry, I take responsibility for this loss. I let my team down."