“Hope he doesn't repeat it” - Salman Butt reacts to Hasan Ali’s press conference outburst

Screengrabs from Hasan Ali's PSL press conference
Screengrabs from Hasan Ali's PSL press conference

Reacting to Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali’s heated exchange with a journalist at a recent press conference, Salman Butt has stated that the cricketer’s behavior was in bad taste. Butt opined that Hasan should have heard the scribe’s entire question and then politely said - “no comments”.

At a press conference after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 players’ draft on Sunday, Hasan interrupted a journalist’s question and responded - "next question please".

The argument continued with the media person asking Hasan not to run away from the question and the pacer telling him not to get personal with anyone. Hasan was retained by Islamabad United in the Platinum category ahead of the PSL 2022 season.

Asked if Hasan’s reaction was immature, Butt commented on his YouTube channel:

“I hope he doesn't repeat it. It is very simple - asking questions is a journalist’s right, and you cannot deny him that. He should have heard the entire question and said 'no comments'. He had the right to do that. If he would have said ‘no comments’, it would have meant that the next person can ask the question.”

The former Pakistan captain urged Hasan and the journalist to have a chat and sort out their differences since both need to interact with each other in the future. Butt added:

“When you interrupt someone between a question, it is in bad taste. Whatever the problem was, they should speak to each other and try and sort it out. Hasan has to play cricket and attend press conferences and the same person and other media people have to ask questions.”

Hasan was brutally trolled in Pakistan for his poor performance at the T20 World Cup in the UAE. He dropped an easy catch of Matthew Wade in the semi-final which, many feel, cost Pakistan the match.


Salman Butt feels ‘managers’ should have stopped Hasan Ali

Butt also expressed disappointment at the lack of intervention from people sitting around Hasan during the press conference. He felt they should have acted quickly to try and reduce the tension. The 37-year-old elaborated:

“As a professional, he should have heard the question and then responded. But I also feel people sitting around him should have intervened. There were two people in the video with Hasan. Maybe they could have stopped Hasan.”

Butt continued:

“Hasan is a fast bowler by nature and aggressive. At times, because of some other things playing in your mind, you get over-aggressive. He is human and made a mistake. I am not endorsing him, but this is why we have managers, to manage people. Had the others around him stepped in, the situation could have been avoided.”

After a poor T20 World Cup, Hasan returned to form with good performances in Bangladesh. He was adjudged Man of the Match for claiming 3/22 in the first T20I. Hasan also picked up seven scalps in the first Test in Chattogram.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar