'You Don't Know How To Play...', Pakistan Pacer Rana Naved Recalls How He Got Wicket Of Virender Sehwag After Sledging

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed concerns regarding the team's participation in the 2023 World Cup in India, citing governmental clearance as a prerequisite.

Rana Naved in talks with Nadir Ali on his Youtube Channel (Youtube)

The highly anticipated clash between the Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, and Pakistan in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup on October 15 is expected to add more captivating incidents to their storied rivalry. While players from both sides generally maintain cordial relations, tensions have occasionally escalated, often leading to intriguing incidents. Rana Naved Ul Hasan, a former Pakistani bowler, recently shared a memorable incident involving Virender Sehwag during a conversation on the Nadir Ali Podcast.

During the podcast, Rana Naved Ul Hasan reminisced about a particular incident, saying, "Let me tell you a story. There was a match in the 2004-05 series where Sehwag was batting on 85. This was the series we won when we visited India. I was named the player of the tournament. The series consisted of five matches, and we were trailing 2-0. In the third match, Sehwag was hitting big, and they were on the verge of scoring 300 runs. I asked Inzy bhai to give me the ball, and I bowled a slow bouncer."

Continuing his account, Rana Naved Ul Hasan added, "I approached him and said, 'You don't know how to play. If you were in Pakistan, I doubt you would have made it to the international team.' He responded with a few words of his own. On my way back, I told Inzi bhai, 'He's getting out on the next ball.' Inzi bhai was surprised. I bowled a back-of-the-hand slower ball, and an infuriated Sehwag attempted to hit it big but got caught out. That wicket was crucial, and it helped us win the match. These are some of the tricks fast bowlers employ."

Rana Naved Ul Hasan to Virender Sehwag in Karachi ODI 2004 pic.twitter.com/GOuj5tXarg — Abhijeet _ (@TheYorkerBall) May 28, 2020

It's worth noting that there are a few factual inconsistencies in Naved's recollection. Naved emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the series, claiming 15 wickets. Additionally, the series comprised six matches, not five. After losing the first two games, Pakistan staged a comeback and won the series 4-2 overall. Nevertheless, it is likely that Naved was referring to India's triumph in the second ODI at Visakhapatnam. Sehwag was dismissed after facing 40 deliveries while batting on 74. However, Pakistan fell short by 58 runs in that particular match.