Zaka Ashraf’s comical slip of tongue during Asia Cup trophy unveiling ceremony

During the 2023 Asia Cup's schedule and trophy unveiling ceremony on Wednesday in Lahore, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board's Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf, made a rather amusing mistake when he mentioned Shaheen Shah Afridi as one of the top ten batters in the world.

When asked about his expectations for the Pakistan team in the ODI format and their major strengths in upcoming mega events like the Asia Cup, Ashraf highlighted the team's strong batting and bowling prowess, proudly stating that their captain, Babar Azam, holds the prestigious position of being the number one ranked batter in the ICC ODI rankings.

"There is strength in both our batting and bowling. If you talk about batting, our captain [Babar Azam] is number one [ranked batter] in the world. If you talk about others, then Pakistan batters are among the top-five [in the rankings]," Ashraf said.

While Babar is ranked number in the ICC ODI rankings, Fakhar Zaman and Imam ul Haq occupy the third and fourth spots in the rankings, respectively.

However, where the humorous blunder occurred was when Ashraf inadvertently named left-arm pacer, Shaheen, as one of the top ten batsmen in the world.

"If you talk about Shaheen Shah Afridi, his name comes in the top 10 batsmen," Ashraf said.

In reality, Shaheen holds a respectable ninth place in the ICC ODI bowlers' rankings, which makes his "top ten batter" claim quite amusing and certainly not accurate.

Despite the comical slip of the tongue, Ashraf conveyed his unwavering support and best wishes for the Pakistan team.

"My best wishes are for Pakistan team and I am proud of the team," he added.