Abrar Ahmed Issues An Official Statement On Shubman Gill Celebration

Pakistan’s leg spinner, Abrar Ahmed, was under the microscope of many fans and former players after the side’s defeat by six wickets with 40 balls to spare against India in the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Abrar Ahmed's send-off against Shubman Gill felt arrogant to many pundits, as it was unnecessary at a point when the side was on the edge of losing the contest. The netizens mocked him on several occasions on social media platforms.

Abrar Ahmed’s send-off to Shubman Gill

Despite a strong start in the first innings thanks to both the openers, Pakistan lost the plot with the dismissals of both the opening batters in the side. Even after the century stand between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, which came at a slower rate, they couldn’t build on the performance.

Also Read: Pakistan Captain Accepts Champions Trophy 2025 Exit; Dissects Humiliating Defeat vs India

The middle order could post just 241 runs in the first innings for the Rizwan-led side. An aggressive opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill countering Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah put the Blue Brigade way ahead in the chase. But out of nowhere, Abrar bowled a terrific delivery to send back the Indian opening batter.

The carrom ball squared the Punjab batter, who was on 46 runs in just 52 deliveries and was fresh from his century in the last fixture against Bangladesh in Dubai. Gill looked to time the ball in the leg side but saw the spin deviate its line to crash into the off-stump.

Soon after taking the wicket, Abrar Ahmed looked at the batter to signal the road to the pavilion. He was the peak of the bowlers in the second innings, finishing with 1/28 in his ten overs, and the wicket was the result of the pressure he created with 10 runs in the first three overs.

Abrar Ahmed defends the celebration against India

One of the Pakistan journalists stated that Abrar’s reaction was nothing unusual as he celebrates in the same manner even back home.

“The celebration on the wicket of Shubman Gill is my normal celebration back home as well. Abrar Ahmed had a heated argument with an Indian journalist in Dubai. Abrar was criticized by the Indian journalist regarding the celebration made after taking the wicket of Shubman Gill. #CT25.” Abrar expressed, as quoted by a user, Afra Feroz Zake, on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The spinner is Pakistan’s second leading wicket-taker in the 50-over format this year, with eight scalps in just five innings, alongside the left-arm pacer, Afridi.

Pakistan’s mistake with one specialist spinner in the squad

Even though Babar Azam got most of the criticism for the opening defeat of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand for his slow knock of 64 runs in 90 balls at a strike rate of 70, none raised fingers on the bowling performance. The new ball bowling of Afridi and Naseem kept the Kiwis at three down in the first hour, but they failed to keep the momentum with wickets in the middle overs.

Also Read: Virat Kohli Overtakes Sachin Tendulkar To Break This ODI Record In Champions Trophy 2025

Afridi went for more than an economy of eight on successive games in the eight-team competition. While most of the other sides have gone with three spinners or even five in the squad, as India has done, Pakistan has gone with just one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, in the squad.

That never allows them to keep the run rate in check with the old ball or pick wickets, which increases the pressure in the death overs. They will hope to get a better result against Bangladesh in the last group-stage dead rubber at the Rawalpindi Stadium.