"He probably knows nothing about respect or giving respect to others" - Imrul Kayes hits out at Sehwag over Shakib criticism during 2024 T20 WC
Veteran Bangladesh opening batter Imrul Kayes launched a rant on Virender Sehwag for his harsh criticism of Shakib Al Hasan recently. The all-rounder responded strongly with a match-winning fifty against the Netherlands to take his side close to the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Sehwag was highly critical of Shakib's performance in the narrow loss against South Africa in New York. The former India player stated that Shakib should just retire from the format, and also added that he should play like a Bangladeshi player and not like Hayden or Gilchrist.
On that occasion, Shakib was dismissed after trying to pull Anrich Nortje during a crucial juncture of the run chase. He scored only three runs off four deliveries, and Sehwag reckoned that a senior player like him should have played with more responsibility.
"If he was included in the squad for experience, then we were not able to see it. Atleast spend some time at this wicket, it is not like you are not Hayden or Gilchrist who can play a pull shot of a short ball, you are just a player from Bangladesh. Play according to your standards. When you are not able to play hook or pull, so just play the strokes that you know," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
Kayes came to his former teammate's defense, and feels that a player of his caliber should be respected for what he has achieved.
"Shakib didn't become Shakib-Al-Hasan in 1 or 2 days. He is the No. 1 ICC all-rounder, not once but for a long time, and across formats. A player like him needs to be treated with respect, which Virender Sehwag didn't get in his career. So he probably knows nothing about respect or giving respect to others," Kayes was quoted as saying by several Bangladesh media outlets.
Sehwag's blunt comments as a player or as a broadcaster or even some of his tweets for that matter, have a history of creating controversy in some form or the other.
"I don't know what a legendary batter like him thinks before making such statements" - Imrul Kayes on Virender Sehwag
Shakib Al Hasan was adjudged player of the match for his unbeaten 64 off 46 deliveries that took Bangladesh to 159 in a crucial encounter in St.Vincent. He also conceded only 29 runs off his four overs of bowling, and when asked about the criticism by Sehwag, he remarked that he does not have to answer to anyone.
"This is not the first time he has said such things about Bangladesh or its cricketers. He did this once earlier as well when he said Bangladesh don't have the ability to pick 20 wickets in a Test match. I don't know what a legendary batter like him thinks before making such statements. Biggies like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid would never pull down a player because they know how to respect other players," Kayes added.
Sehwag has indeed taken a dig at Bangladesh cricket in general in the past, with the most memorable one being when he did not regard them as a threat ahead of the 2011 ODI World Cup opener.
"We have lost one or two games against Bangladesh — one in the 2007 World Cup and may be one in Bangladesh," the former opener had said.
India and Bangladesh could lock horns in the Super 8 stages of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The former has already qualified as A1, and the other subcontinent side could join them as the second representative from Group D after South Africa.