In the wake of India's securing a place in the Asia Cup 2023 final with a victory over Sri Lanka in their second Super 4 match,
September 13, 2023
2.3 minutes
In the wake of India's securing a place in the Asia Cup 2023 final with a victory over Sri Lanka in their second Super 4 match,
Despite India’s triumph, the first innings presented a challenging situation for them, with Sri Lanka’s spinner Dunith Wellalage impressively taking 5 wickets. In the midst of this, numerous fans messaged Shoaib Akhtar, suggesting that India was intentionally trying to lose the match. Akhtar, however, swiftly rebuffed such claims, labeling them as baseless.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Akhtar admonished the fans, stating, “I don’t know what you guys are doing. I am getting memes and messages saying India are losing deliberately in order to eliminate Pakistan. Are you alright? They (Sri Lanka) are bowling their heart out. Wellalalge and Asalanka bowled their heart out. You saw that 20-year-old kid? He scored 43 runs and took 5 wickets. I am getting phone calls from India and other countries, saying India were losing deliberately.” He commended Sri Lanka’s spirited performance while dismissing unfounded speculations.
Shoaib Akhtar questioned the rationale behind the accusations, emphasizing that there was no incentive for India to lose a game that would secure their place in the final. He also praised India’s spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who played a pivotal role in the match with his 4-wicket haul.
“Why would they lose, tell me? They want to go through to the final. You end up making memes without any reason. It was a great fightback from India. The way Kuldeep played, it was massive. Look at Jasprit Bumrah, look at the fight while defending a small total,” Akhtar reasoned.
Shoaib Akhtar didn’t shy away from critiquing Pakistan’s cricketing performance, particularly singling out the “lack of fight” displayed by Babar Azam’s team in their previous match against India. He also expressed concerns about the fitness of Pakistani pacers, including Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Afridi, and highlighted the challenges they face due to inadequate playing opportunities.
“Wellalage, a 20-year-old kid, is showing fight. He is batting and bowling, doing all he can. Our players (Pakistan) couldn’t show this fight. Our fast bowlers don’t play. When was the last they played 25-30 ODIs at a stretch? Then we expect Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah to deliver 10 overs and not get injured. I want the fight back from Pakistan. This was humiliating,” Akhtar asserted.
With India already securing a place in the final, Shoaib Akhtar outlined the challenge that lies ahead for Pakistan. To claim the second spot in the title-deciding contest, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka in their next match, setting the stage for a crucial showdown.
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