Simon Doull, a well-known commentator in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Indian Premier League (IPL), recently spoke about the “mental torture” he endured in Pakistan. Doull’s comments came after he made on-air comments about Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam, which resulted in backlash from some fans.
Doull revealed that he was unable to leave his hotel due to the presence of angry fans waiting outside. In an interview with Geo News, Doull said,
“Living in Pakistan is like living in jail. I was not allowed to go out as Babar Azam fans were waiting for me. And I stayed without food for many days. Even I was mentally tortured, but by the grace of God, I somehow escaped.”
For those who are unfamiliar with the situation, Doull had made negative remarks about Babar Azam’s pace in achieving a century during the PSL 2023 match against Quetta Gladiators. Babar Azam, a right-handed batsman, scored 115 runs off 65 balls but took 14 deliveries to go from 83 to 100. As a result, Peshawar Zalmi lost the game by eight wickets with 10 balls remaining. On-air, Doull, who is originally from New Zealand, had expressed his thoughts about the matter and said:
“Rather than putting the team first… the last little while, that’s all that been happening. Rather than looking for boundaries, still, so much firepower to come. Hundreds are brilliant, stats are great, but it has to be team first.”
In a recent incident, Simon Doull also commented on Virat Kohli’s performance during a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants. Kohli scored 61 runs off 44 balls, but Doull criticized him for taking 10 deliveries to reach his half-century from 42 runs. Despite Kohli’s efforts, his team lost the match by one wicket in a nail-biting finish. Doull expressed his opinion on the matter by stating
“From 42 to 50, he took 10 balls. He is concerned about his personal milestones. I don’t think there’s room for that in this game anymore.”
New Zealand to play T20I and ODI series Against Babar Azam and Co.
Pakistan’s cricket team, led by Babar Azam, will welcome New Zealand for a five-match T20I and ODI series. The opening T20I match will be held on April 14th, Friday, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The ODI series is scheduled to commence on April 27th, Thursday.
This white-ball series will serve as a valuable opportunity for the Pakistani team to gear up for the forthcoming 2023 Asia Cup. On the other hand, New Zealand will also benefit from gaining exposure to sub-continental conditions before the 2023 ODI World Cup, which is set to take place in India later this year.