Pakistan bowling coach Umar Gul has addressed recent social media rumours involving fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. The former pacer denied reports of any argument or disagreement between the two during a match situation.
Speaking at a press conference, Umar Gul explained that the incident shown in a viral video was completely misunderstood. He said social media users wrongly assumed there had been a heated exchange between him and Shaheen Afridi.
According to Umar Gul, he first learned about the controversy after waking up and seeing posts online. The claims suggested that Shaheen Afridi was ignoring instructions from the coaching staff.
The bowling coach rejected those reports and said the situation was ordinary. He explained that Hasan Ali had suffered an injury during the match and was lying on the ground at the time.
Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi was sitting outside the field area. Umar Gul said they were discussing Shaheen’s knee taping routine, which he usually follows during bowling spells.
He added that the conversation had nothing to do with any disagreement or disciplinary issue. During the discussion, former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed approached them and informed them about Hasan Ali’s head injury.
The coach said the moment captured on camera was taken out of context. He explained that his facial expressions and reactions were natural responses during a tense match situation.
Umar Gul also mentioned that he was unaware cameras were recording the interaction. He stressed that there was no fight or argument between him and the left-arm pacer.
The viral clip quickly spread across social media platforms. Many users speculated that tensions had developed between the coach and player during the match.
However, Umar Gul firmly denied all such claims. He said misunderstandings often grow rapidly online when short video clips are shared without full context.
The clarification comes as Pakistan’s cricket team continues preparations for upcoming international assignments. Team management has not reported any internal issues involving players or coaching staff.
Fans have since reacted positively to the explanation provided by Umar Gul. Many supporters called for responsible reporting and urged social media users to avoid spreading unverified rumours.
In other news read more about: Rawalpindi Police Investigate Viral Hair-Cutting Incident
