Shoaib Akhtar vs Nauman Niaz: Whose side is Twitter is on?

TV host Dr Nauman Niaz and former Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar indulged in a tense and aggressive banter in a live show on Pakistan Television (PTV) soon after the Pakistan and New Zealand match.

Akhtar was giving his opinion on Haris Rauf and mistakenly took Shaheen Shah Afridi’s name. Nauman corrected him and after a heated exchange, Nauman asked the former pacer to leave. Shoaib resigned from the show and later he explained the reason why he did that on social media.

Soon after the live spat, Twitter was trending with reactions to the incident. We scouted Twitter to see whose side Pakistani Twitterati were on and it is clear that people think Shoaib handled the situation well and Nauman Niaz was in the wrong. While we tried to find tweets in favour of Nauman, we weren’t able to. Here are some of the reactions:

I stand with you shoaib bhai! You are very humbled person 💕 lots of love @shoaib100mph #NaumanNiaz #PakvsNz pic.twitter.com/5z5QEyPP8H

— Shahmeer Bhatti (@shahmeer068) October 27, 2021

You are a low life person Mister. @shoaib100mph pe teray jaisay lakhon Qurban, You should resign and leave PTV.

Matches are won by players like Shoaib not because of you and one more thing I want to say “do hell with you analysis”. #NaumanNiaz https://t.co/HbERBchViL

— Azhar Leghari (@AzharLaghari_) October 27, 2021

Watched all the clips completely and to begin with I think shoaib clearly doesn’t like the Host, this banter on any other channel with any other host could’ve been actually fun to watch but the host in Qs here seems too egoistic to take it lightly, the egos should be left home.

— Rabia Anum Obaid (@RabiaAnumm) October 27, 2021

The host is too overconfident and always in a hurry cuz off course it’s a Jumma bazaar of Analysts on the show.. I’ve done entire transmissions with shoaib bhai and he needs his own time , he has interesting stuff to share and he deserves proper time.

— Rabia Anum Obaid (@RabiaAnumm) October 27, 2021

Is this how we treat our legends?@shoaib100mph had to leave the studios during their live transmission at PTV sports after "badtameezi" by Dr Nauman Niaz. https://t.co/B6yV1fuEva pic.twitter.com/xgahQjq3Hm

— Ajmal Jami (@ajmaljami) October 26, 2021

Lot of respect for #ShoaibAkhtar . Govt must take immediate action action against This guy #NaumanNiaz . @shoaib100mph pic.twitter.com/FX8m7SPY0M

— حمزہ مشتاق اچلانہ ⚡️❤️ (@HamzaAchlana) October 27, 2021

The way egoistic Nauman Niaz is behaved he does not seem like a so-called doctor or Journalist.#WeStandWithShoaibAkhtar#NaumanNiaz#نعمان_نیاز_معافی_مانگو pic.twitter.com/w0YOVw4oIZ

— ZAFAR U LLAH (@mrzafarullah) October 27, 2021

You are our pride @shoaib100mph!
The host's derogatory attitude with you is not tolerable at all. #ShoaibAkhtar https://t.co/cMRld3sPsE

— Najia Ashar (@najiaashar) October 27, 2021

@shoaib100mph is not only our hero, but gem of a person; extremely humble & down to earth. #NaumanNiaz’s derogatory attitude with him is not tolerable at all.

Time to #SendNaumanHome. @fawadchaudhry @PTVSp0rts #Respect #ShoaibAkhtar 🏏 #T20WorldCup https://t.co/I5kh6PH52f

— Abid Qaiyum Suleri (@Abidsuleri) October 27, 2021

#ShoaibAkhtar bhai was enjoying before #NaumanNiaz bitter behavior towards him. Piercingly he said "you can go " to Shoaib Bhai on the front of the foreigner guests on National TV. He feels embarrassment is actually embarrassment of the whole nation. Pathetic #بائیکاٹ_پی_ٹی_وی pic.twitter.com/QRhrWUHBIn

— Muhammad Nauman Khan (@I_Am_Nauman) October 27, 2021

Sad to see legends being treated like this , @shoaib100mph is our pride, someone should take notice of this..#NaumanNiaz #ShoaibAkhtar pic.twitter.com/JSUyh2apkm pic.twitter.com/xSoA041N0j

— Kashif (@ikashifzulfiqar) October 27, 2021

Its very shameful that how Nauman Niaz insulted the legendary Shoaib Akhtar and said him to leave the show on air. Shame on you Nauman Niaz!

#NaumanNiaz #ShoaibAkhtar pic.twitter.com/XBDL8sDL5Y

— Huzaifa Rana (@Huzaifa_Rana3) October 27, 2021

#IStandWithShoaib100mph Shoaib Akhtar is too precious to be insulted by an idiot with an ego

— Mubasher Lucman (@mubasherlucman) October 26, 2021

Very sorry to see the clip of Nauman Niaz insulting our national hero @shoaib100mph on PTV. Shoaib is a true hero and will always be. I cant believe Dr Nauman acted this way with an International celebrity in such a rude manner. Unbelievable

— Mubasher Lucman (@mubasherlucman) October 26, 2021

This is the clip in which we can see how Nauman Niaz told the veteran cricketer to leave the show.