Why does no one see the tragedy in Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad’s career? – Pakistan

We are a strange group. We really are When we love our heroes, we put them on the pedestal until we reach the House of the Prime Minister. And those of us who hate, hate with such passion that we not only rejoice when they fail, we want They fail, so we rejoice.

That is the tragedy called Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad.

From Saleem Jaffar to Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar and some others, several have had the unwanted title of being the most hated athlete in Pakistan. When Salman Butt held it, it seemed almost impossible for someone to take it away.

Then came the two Lahore boys who turned the script. Both have been released multiple lifelines over the years, but neither has seized either. They have remained so long that if Pakistan's "most famous cricketer" were praise, Shehzad and Akmal would have had multiple trophies sitting in their windows.

The last in his long line of disappointments were his twin outings against Sri Lanka in the T20I series.

Shehzad scored 17 in two innings while Akmal, the most notorious of the two, was in a golden duck every time. Not only did they embarrass themselves, but they came out similarly in both games; Akmal was out of combat and his partner withdrew, an indication that, regardless of the deficiencies they had, they still have.

But many before they also failed, they failed a little more and were even ashamed under the glare of scrutiny. However, the case of these two is different. Each and every stumbling block of Akmal jr and Shehzad have been widely celebrated by their critics to the point that one wonders: are they abhorred for what they do or what they are?

And it is difficult to argue that what they are is not their own fault. The many, many Akmal transgressions, including failed aptitude tests, encounters with traffic guards, fights with coaches and what not, are all they do.

In particular, he has received the worst part of the criticism and inspired countless memes ranging from fun to funny and frankly disrespectful.

Shehzad's selfies and self-esteem on social media may have been annoying for some, but that was the limit. Then no favor was done with constant disciplinary violations, confrontations, failed doping tests and the icing on the top: his attempt to turn Tillakaratne Dilshan into the playing field.

But who knows about cricket knows that under all the luggage and piles of smoking trash, there were two talents, talents that at one time years ago were even considered generational. The word "talented" has been used a lot and for so long for these two, it has become a separate joke. But we don't transgress.

The point is that the two athletes who had the appearance of superstars, who achieved the correct settings, and who were identified and induced early, have now been reduced to laughter actions. They had the goods before they became damaged goods.

To quote Robert De Niro from the movie A tale of the Bronx, "The saddest thing in life is lost talent," and these two have wasted their gifts. That, and the fact that the whole nation only sees the comic side, is a shame.

This is also tragic, as much as anything else.

The writer is a cricket fan based in Karachi. Sell ​​cars by day and write night sports.