NEW DELHI: The National T20 Cup semifinal between Abbottabad and Peshawar on Wednesday had its fair share of cricketing action, but it was Iftikhar Ahmed’s over-the-top celebration and Salman Butt’s cheeky commentary that stole the show.
Pakistan all-rounder and Peshawar skipper Iftikhar Ahmed put in an impressive bowling performance, bagging two crucial wickets for Peshawar.
One of his biggest scalps was that of Abbottabad skipper Kamran Ghulam, who looked set to build a solid partnership with Shahzaib Khan. However, Iftikhar had other plans.
Coming over the wicket, Iftikhar bowled a full-length delivery that tempted Ghulam to go big.
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The batter took the bait, attempting to clear the boundary, but instead sent the ball straight into the hands of Maaz Sadaqat at long-on.
As the fielder completed an easy catch, Iftikhar erupted in pure joy, letting out a fierce roar and celebrating the dismissal as if he had just taken down one of cricket’s all-time greats.
And that’s when Salman Butt, on commentary duty, couldn’t resist taking a hilarious dig at Iftikhar’s wild reaction.
With perfect comedic timing, Butt quipped, “Wow! Has he picked up Viv Richards?” — implying that Iftikhar’s celebration was a bit over the top for a domestic T20 match.
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The clip of Butt’s witty remark instantly went viral, leaving fans in splits. Social media erupted with memes and reactions, with many appreciating the former Pakistan captain’s humor.
Despite the lighthearted moment, Peshawar dominated the game.
Batting first, they posted a mammoth total of 243 runs, thanks to a breathtaking 148-run knock from Sahibzada Farhan.
Abbottabad, in response, faltered under pressure, managing only 187/8 in their 20 overs. Opener Shahzaib Khan fought hard with a quickfire fifty, but the rest of the batting lineup crumbled.
While Peshawar’s win was convincing, it was Salman Butt’s roast of Iftikhar Ahmed’s celebration that became the real highlight of the match.
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