Ahmed Shehzad, the Pakistani cricketer, has launched a scathing attack on Gautam Gambhir, mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The altercation between Gambhir and Virat Kohli, former India skipper, resurfaced during the IPL, where they took jabs at each other after the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and LSG in Lucknow last month.
Reflecting on the infamous verbal spat between these two Indian cricket icons, Shehzad has initiated a strong criticism of Gambhir, making controversial statements about the two-time World Cup winner. Shehzad expressed his opinion that Gambhir had offended him by targeting Kohli after the low-scoring encounter between Bangalore and Lucknow in IPL 2023.
Speaking about the intense rivalry, Shehzad openly accused Gambhir of acting out of jealousy and deliberately seeking to create controversy during the IPL. He shared his disappointment, stating, “As a viewer and a sportsman, Gambhir’s actions hurt my feelings greatly. It seemed like he was trying to provoke a controversy with Virat out of jealousy and was eagerly waiting for something to happen.”
Shehzad not only criticized Gambhir but also expressed support for Kohli, who had a heated altercation with LSG players Naveen-Ul-Haq and Kyle Mayers. Shehzad was upset with Gambhir for calling out Kohli after his verbal spat with the Afghanistani fast bowler. He added, “It was really sad to witness such an incident. I understand that Kohli had a fight with the Afghan player (Naveen-Ul-Haq) because such things happen in the heat of the moment. But I fail to comprehend why Gautam Gambhir, the mentor from his own country, displayed such gestures towards Kohli, the biggest player.”
Both Gambhir and Kohli faced penalties from the IPL for causing a disturbance in Indian cricket during the league stage of the lucrative T20 tournament. They were fined 100% of their match fees following the on-field scuffle in Lucknow. Kohli’s RCB failed to qualify for the playoffs, while the LSG team, led by KL Rahul, was defeated by the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the later stages of the tournament.