Naveen-ul-Haq’s Celebration Baffles Sunil Gavaskar in IPL 2023 Eliminator against MI

Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar shared an intriguing perspective on Naveen-ul-Haq’s new celebration style, which captivated the attention of fans. During the Eliminator match, Naveen, known for lifting his shirt collar while celebrating wickets, unveiled a fresh celebration style that left a lasting impact. The Afghanistan-born bowler caught everyone’s eye with his gesture of closing his ears, reminiscent of KL Rahul’s iconic celebration after scoring one of his two IPL centuries for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Naveen’s remarkable performance in the IPL further added to the significance of his celebration. He achieved his career-best bowling figures, claiming 11 wickets from eight matches with an impressive average of 19.89 in the IPL 2023. Notably, he maintained an economy rate of 7.82, showcasing his bowling prowess.

In the match against the Mumbai Indians (MI), Naveen claimed the prized wicket of MI’s captain, Rohit Sharma, early in the innings. He continued his impressive form by dismissing Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav within a span of three balls, single-handedly bringing LSG back into contention. In his final over, Naveen delivered a crucial blow by taking the wicket of Tilak Varma, concluding his spell on a high note.

“Naveen-ul-Haq Has Had Issues with the Crowd,” Says Gavaskar

While Naveen’s on-field performance was commendable, it was his celebration that truly stole the limelight. After each wicket, he symbolically covered his ears with a finger, a gesture often associated with LSG’s regular captain, KL Rahul, when he scores a century. Naveen’s attention to detail and nod to Rahul’s celebration added an intriguing layer to his own unique style.

“He has had issues with the crowd. You should celebrate by chucking your ears. This is the time he has got a wicket. He has got to listen to the applause. When somebody scores a hundred also, don’t chuck your ears. Listen to the applause, chuck your hand behind the ears and say ‘hello, now can I hear you?’. That’s how the celebration should be. That’s old me saying this, by the way,” Sunil Gavaskar said while covering the LSG VS MI game as a commentator.

As Naveen’s celebration became a talking point, fans and cricket enthusiasts eagerly watched to see if this new gesture would become a defining trait of his game. The combination of his skills with the ball and his captivating celebrations added an element of excitement and anticipation to his performances, making him a player to watch in future matches.