<p>No Pakistani cricketer has been as maligned and criticised for his failures and lack of performances as batsman Asif Ali.</p>.<p>Even his selection for the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this month received flak, not only on the national television channels but also vociferously on social media.</p>.<p>Asif also struggled with his form after his 18-month-old daughter, Noor Fatima, died of cancer in 2019 on the eve of the 50-over World Cup in England.</p>.<p>But the 30-year-old has rebounded and silenced his critics with his smashing sixes in Pakistan's wins over New Zealand and Afghanistan in Group 2 of the Super 12 Stages.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/t20-world-cup-miller-rabada-pull-off-thrilling-chase-despite-hasarangas-hat-trick-1045753.html" target="_blank">T20 World Cup: Miller, Rabada pull off thrilling chase despite Hasaranga's hat-trick</a></strong></p>.<p>Asif was Pakistan's hero on Friday, smashing four sixes in the 19th over from pacer Karim Janat to give Pakistan a five-wicket win over Afghanistan in Dubai.</p>.<p>That came two days after he smashed three sixes -- two in one New Zealand pacer Tim Southee's over -- in Pakistan's five-wicket win over New Zealand in Sharjah.</p>.<p>Asif was once a labourer in an iron foundry, and his play has proved an old Hindi adage about striking with power: "One hundred blows from a goldsmith are comparable to one blow from an iron-smith."</p>.<p>Former Pakistan skipper and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq was ecstatic about Asif's success.</p>.<p>"I am delighted that he has proved his critics wrong and forced fans to change their minds," Misbah, who discovered Asif in 2011, told <em>AFP</em>.</p>.<p>Misbah was leading the Faisalabad team in Pakistan's National Super Eight Twenty20 tournament when he saw a clean hitter in Asif and brought him into his team.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/important-to-have-sixth-bowling-option-hardik-needs-to-be-fit-to-bowl-one-or-two-overs-kohli-1045723.html" target="_blank">Important to have sixth bowling option, Hardik needs to be fit to bowl one or two overs: Kohli</a></strong></p>.<p>"Asif was an instant success, hitting a century on his Twenty20 debut and then he performed well for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League," recalled Misbah.</p>.<p>But Asif found the international stage tough and with his every failure Misbah was equally condemned for giving Asif more chances than others.</p>.<p>"Number six is a tough position to bat at and you want a hitter in that position, so I am delighted that Asif is hitting his way to stardom," said Misbah.</p>.<p>Former skipper Wasim Akram said fans, who applied Urdu terms for 'recommended' suggesting Asif was getting preferential treatment, needed to show patience.</p>.<p>"They called him a 'sifarshi, parchi' but Asif has shown that if you show patience then a talented player can come good," said Wasim during commentary on television.</p>.<p>Islamabad United's head coach late Dean Jones -- a former Australian great -- was also a great admirer of Asif.</p>.<p>"Asif is a real talent," Jones said after Asif was one of the stars of the 2018 PSL final, smashing a six-ball 26 with three sixes as Islamabad beat Peshawar. "He is an impact player and can change the game in a jiffy."</p>.<p>Jones broke into tears during a PSL post-match press briefing in March 2019 when told Asif's daughter was suffering from cancer and then raised funds for her treatment.</p>.<p>Two months later Noor Fatima died, leaving Asif shattered.</p>.<p>He featured in the 2019 50-over World Cup but after he scored 19 runs in two matches, the selectors to dropped him.</p>.<p>Asif admits it has been a painful journey.</p>.<p>"It has been a tough journey," said Asif after the Afghanistan match. "I want to thank Misbah. He worked very hard with me and I'll always be grateful to him."</p>.<p>Asif said he ignores social media flak.</p>.<p>"I don't notice criticism as I don't follow social media at all, I'm very far away from it. My role was such that I sometimes came into the team and sometimes was dropped.</p>.<p>"I play in the middle order. It's tricky in that position. The stats guys only see that I scored 10 runs in three innings, but they don't see if you played only three or four balls of the final over."</p>.<p>But his T20 World Cup stats -- 19 balls faced, seven sixes, and 52 runs, without being dismissed -- cannot be maligned anymore.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>No Pakistani cricketer has been as maligned and criticised for his failures and lack of performances as batsman Asif Ali.</p>.<p>Even his selection for the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this month received flak, not only on the national television channels but also vociferously on social media.</p>.<p>Asif also struggled with his form after his 18-month-old daughter, Noor Fatima, died of cancer in 2019 on the eve of the 50-over World Cup in England.</p>.<p>But the 30-year-old has rebounded and silenced his critics with his smashing sixes in Pakistan's wins over New Zealand and Afghanistan in Group 2 of the Super 12 Stages.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/t20-world-cup-miller-rabada-pull-off-thrilling-chase-despite-hasarangas-hat-trick-1045753.html" target="_blank">T20 World Cup: Miller, Rabada pull off thrilling chase despite Hasaranga's hat-trick</a></strong></p>.<p>Asif was Pakistan's hero on Friday, smashing four sixes in the 19th over from pacer Karim Janat to give Pakistan a five-wicket win over Afghanistan in Dubai.</p>.<p>That came two days after he smashed three sixes -- two in one New Zealand pacer Tim Southee's over -- in Pakistan's five-wicket win over New Zealand in Sharjah.</p>.<p>Asif was once a labourer in an iron foundry, and his play has proved an old Hindi adage about striking with power: "One hundred blows from a goldsmith are comparable to one blow from an iron-smith."</p>.<p>Former Pakistan skipper and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq was ecstatic about Asif's success.</p>.<p>"I am delighted that he has proved his critics wrong and forced fans to change their minds," Misbah, who discovered Asif in 2011, told <em>AFP</em>.</p>.<p>Misbah was leading the Faisalabad team in Pakistan's National Super Eight Twenty20 tournament when he saw a clean hitter in Asif and brought him into his team.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/important-to-have-sixth-bowling-option-hardik-needs-to-be-fit-to-bowl-one-or-two-overs-kohli-1045723.html" target="_blank">Important to have sixth bowling option, Hardik needs to be fit to bowl one or two overs: Kohli</a></strong></p>.<p>"Asif was an instant success, hitting a century on his Twenty20 debut and then he performed well for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League," recalled Misbah.</p>.<p>But Asif found the international stage tough and with his every failure Misbah was equally condemned for giving Asif more chances than others.</p>.<p>"Number six is a tough position to bat at and you want a hitter in that position, so I am delighted that Asif is hitting his way to stardom," said Misbah.</p>.<p>Former skipper Wasim Akram said fans, who applied Urdu terms for 'recommended' suggesting Asif was getting preferential treatment, needed to show patience.</p>.<p>"They called him a 'sifarshi, parchi' but Asif has shown that if you show patience then a talented player can come good," said Wasim during commentary on television.</p>.<p>Islamabad United's head coach late Dean Jones -- a former Australian great -- was also a great admirer of Asif.</p>.<p>"Asif is a real talent," Jones said after Asif was one of the stars of the 2018 PSL final, smashing a six-ball 26 with three sixes as Islamabad beat Peshawar. "He is an impact player and can change the game in a jiffy."</p>.<p>Jones broke into tears during a PSL post-match press briefing in March 2019 when told Asif's daughter was suffering from cancer and then raised funds for her treatment.</p>.<p>Two months later Noor Fatima died, leaving Asif shattered.</p>.<p>He featured in the 2019 50-over World Cup but after he scored 19 runs in two matches, the selectors to dropped him.</p>.<p>Asif admits it has been a painful journey.</p>.<p>"It has been a tough journey," said Asif after the Afghanistan match. "I want to thank Misbah. He worked very hard with me and I'll always be grateful to him."</p>.<p>Asif said he ignores social media flak.</p>.<p>"I don't notice criticism as I don't follow social media at all, I'm very far away from it. My role was such that I sometimes came into the team and sometimes was dropped.</p>.<p>"I play in the middle order. It's tricky in that position. The stats guys only see that I scored 10 runs in three innings, but they don't see if you played only three or four balls of the final over."</p>.<p>But his T20 World Cup stats -- 19 balls faced, seven sixes, and 52 runs, without being dismissed -- cannot be maligned anymore.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>