Our boys in green were invited to a prim and proper reception held at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat in Islamabad. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was present to greet the players and engage in some chivalrous banter in what quickly turned into an evening of wisecracks and badinage.
Shoaib Malik kicked things off with his hilariously witty comebacks when he was called upon stage
The male host for the night asked Shoaib if he got told off by his wife, Indian tennis player Sania Mirza after Pakistan won the ICC Final. The cricketer let out a chuckle, and responded fantastically. He said, ‘I’m not one of those like you,’ implying that the male anchor might be getting a bit of a beating at home instead. The host continued, and bowled another comment where he asked if the player had been working on his tennis shots to which Shoaib responded, ‘however much you criticise me, I’ll use that tennis shot on you.’
Shoaib Malik delights audience with witty replies
Shoaib Malik delights audience with witty repliesWatch: https://goo.gl/B2KxQ2
Posted by Samaa TV on Dienstag, 4. Juli 2017
Sarfaraz Ahmed delighted the prime minister and fellow audience with a naat
The cricketer was also named captain for the Test series, and charmed everyone with his soulful voice.
Aye Sabz Gumbad Wale By Sarfaraz Ahmed during Pakistan Cricket Team reception at Prime Minister Secretariat
Posted by Raza Mehdi on Dienstag, 4. Juli 2017
The way the naat unravelled was comical, when the cameraman panned out to Nawaz Sharif on a very particular line…
Saifi praying Naat :"mujrim hon jahan bhar ka.." – "rusvaye zamana hon"
N the cameraman put camera on Nawaz perfectly at the right time ? pic.twitter.com/0FqXcskqE4
— Shaharyar Ejaz (@SharyOfficial) July 4, 2017
Wonder-boys Fakhar Zaman and Hassan Ali were called upon stage at one point to receive their respective awards, and their conversation was incredibly heartwarming
Man of the match Fakhar and Golden Ball winner Hassan were graced with tremendous applause as an upbeat ‘champions’ song stirred the air. The players were ecstatic, and talked about the match, advocating how important it was for them to win for Pakistan.
Fakhar Zaman Hassan Ali Funny Conversation During Welcome Ceremony
Posted by YaAra Apni DosTi Ko YAad Kr3gI DuNYa on Dienstag, 4. Juli 2017
Below is a portion of the reception below where the players individually received their awards
The players received a whopping 10 million rupees each, an act that was questioned by many lawyers and pinned onto the Prime Minister
According to Dawn, no tangible law dictated such a large sum to be given to sportsmen. The money is a sizeable chunk of the government budget, and many have argued the sensibility of diverting such a considerable sum away from potential public spending.
What did you think of the dinner? And what’s your opinion on the 10 million rupees for each player?