Asif Ali refuses to click picture with a fan 

After enduring a tough end to his Asia Cup campaign, Asif Ali arrived in Pakistan amidst the uproar from the country to drop him. In a recent video from a Pakistani social media channel, Asif Ali was seen refusing to take a picture with a fan. It’s quite understandable given the fact that Pakistan was beaten by a spirited Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final.

Bitter pill to swallow for Pakistan

After dominating the game for the first 10 overs, Pakistan were blown away by a whirlwind knock by Bhanuka Rajapaksa as they were unable to overcome the assault. From 58/5 at the halfway mark, Sri Lanka posted 170 which Pakistan batters were unable to chase.

Pakistan needed the powerful lower middle order to unleash their firepower on the Sri Lankan attack after a pretty sedate start. With the target slipping away from Pakistan’s hand, Asif Ali came out to the crease and tried to take on Wanindu Hasaranga straight away and perished on the very first ball.

Asif Ali came into the tournament with a big reputation for clearing boundaries and finishing off games but was far from his best, especially at crucial junctures. He was dismissed for back-to-back golden ducks by Wanindu Hasaranga in the last two games and his mindset of going from the first ball didn't quite help Pakistan.

A spat with Fareed Malik during the Afghanistan game

During the Super four game against Afghanistan, Asif Ali was involved in a heated exchange with Afghan pacer Fareed Malik as things almost got out of hand during the final stages of the game. Asif struck a six in the penultimate over to bring the equation down for Pakistan but Fareed Malik came back strong and dismissed Asif the very next delivery.

Things almost got out of control following hos wicket as Fareed and Asif Ali almost exchanged physical contact. Fareed Malik celebrated in Asif’s face which promoted the batter to raise his bat, and the players had to intervene and separate them. Both players were penalized 20 percent of their match fees for the incident.

Tough times ahead for Asif Ali

Despite his reputation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could be looking at his future after his poor returns in recent outings. With the World Cup just around the corner, the selectors might be looking at some changes and given the woeful run he is going through, there is a possibility of Asif Ali facing the axe.