Arshdeep Singh is no stranger to bowling the toughest overs of the game. He has been doing that for Punjab Kings for over two years now and has managed to replicate the same for the Indian team. But the 23-year-old would have realized the difference between playing for the franchise team and the national team after India lost to Pakistan in Super 4 of the Asia Cup.
There were ample reasons behind India’s defeat, but Arshdeep became the sole target of the trolls after he dropped a catch of Asif Ali in the 18th over. He was brutally trolled, his Wikipedia entry was vandalised, and was associated with “Khalistani” – a separatist organization associated with the region and religion Arshdeep belongs to.
It’s hard for a young cricketer to deal with such reactions. The fast bowler hasn’t posted anything on social media, and many were worried about Arshdeep’s mental state. But his parents, in an interview with the Indian Express, laid all such doubts to rest, stating that their son is just laughing at all those comments.
“His exact words were, ‘I am laughing at all these tweets and messages. I am only going to take positives from it. This incident has only given me more confidence,” said Arshdeep’s father Darshan Singh.
Moreover, the Punjab Kings’ pacer assured his parents that the whole team has his back. Despite dropping the catch, Arshdeep came to bowl the final over, and with just seven runs to defend, he did his best to stretch the game till the second last ball of the innings.
Moreover, he was the most frugal pacer of the game, while the veteran pacer Buvneshwar Kumar had a rough night, where he conceded over 10 runs per over.
It has become a common theme in modern sports, where the player from a vulnerable group is made a scapegoat for the defeat. In the last year’s clash between India and Pakistan, Mohammad Shami, the only Muslim cricketer in the playing XI, found himself at the receiving end.
Shami showed his support for Arshdeep through Instagram, where he wrote, “Don’t worry Arshdeep. We are with you. Focus on your upcoming game, don’t look and listen to them.”
“I’ve faced this and it doesn’t affect me because my country stands up for me. I’ll only say to Arshdeep, don’t let this hamper you because your talent is immense,” said Shami to Times Now.
Lead Image: Arshdeep Singh/Twitter
