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Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur's controversial World Cup remarks angered cricket greats, including Wasim Akram, after the former seemed to blame the Ahmedabad crowd for the Babar Azam-led side's defeat against India in the 2023 Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
“Look, I'd be lying if I said it did [not affect us]. It didn't seem like an ICC event to be brutally honest. It seemed like a bilateral series; it seemed like a BCCI event. I didn't hear Dil Dil Pakistan coming through the microphones too often tonight,” Mickey Arthur said after Pakistan's lop-sided defeat.
Furious with Mickey Arthur's remarks, Wasim Akram launched a sharp attack on the Pakistan team director.
“Bhaiya hame ye batao aap logo ne kya plan kiya tha? (Brother, tell me what was the plan?) Kuldeep Yadav ko kaese khelna hai? (How did you prepare to play Kuldeep Yadav?) That's what we want to hear. Not this random stuff. You think you can get away with this. No, you can't, unfortunately,” Wasim Akram said in a chat on A-Sports.
Similar views were echoed by Wasim Akram's former teammate Moin Khan.
“(He) diverting attention. A lot of people are disheartened and you're making them emotional. I think he should discuss what is his job as a professional rather than showing a new path. As a coach, he shouldn't have said that,” Moin Khan noted.
“We should praise them (BCCI or making the most of the home crowd). Hamare yahan event ho so ham bhi isi tarah utilize karen. (If we host such events, we should also utilize them). We should learn from them,” he emphasized.
If one analyzes Pakistan's performance in the game against India, the Babar Azam-led side produced a batting display that was very Pakistan-like in Motera.
At 155/2, Pakistan had 300 in sight as two of its most senior batters, captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, were batting together in the middle.
As it appeared Pakistan was in control of the proceedings against the Indian bowlers, Mohammed Siraj produced a gem to dismiss Babar Azam, who fell for fifty off 58 balls.
Subsequently, the Pakistan middle order fell like nine-pins, with Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah emerging as the destroyers-in-chief of the Green Army's batting line-up.
Eventually, the Pakistan cricket team was dismissed for 191, with their last eight wickets adding only 37 runs on the scoreboard.
With India needing 192 to register their eighth successive victory over Pakistan in 50-over World Cups, the Men in Blue were off to a flier, with Rohit Sharma smashing the ball over the park.
Rohit Sharma, who struck a blistering hundred in the last match against Afghanistan, appeared in great nick as he dealt in boundaries and sixes throughout his knock in Motera.
The Pakistani bowlers were helpless in front of Rohit Sharma's onslaught as the Indians were on their way to a commanding win over their neighbors.
Though India lost Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in quick succession, with both contributing 16 runs each, Shreyas Iyer joined Rohit Sharma in the middle, and their 77-run partnership almost sealed the home team's triumph.
But against the run of play, Rohit Sharma, steadily moving toward his second consecutive century in this edition of the World Cup, lost his wicket to Shaheen Shah Afridi as he mistimed a slower ball from the premier Pakistan speedster.
After Rohit Sharma's departure, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul ensured there were no more hiccups for Team India, as the hosts completed a seven-wicket triumph with more than 19 overs to spare.
Pakistan's stunning defeat against India resulted in angry reactions from former cricketers, including Shoaib Akhtar, who blasted Babar Azam and Co. for looking like a club side in front of a well-oiled Men in Blue.
“The kind of innings he played, he humiliated Pakistan's bowling attack. He took revenge for the last two years when he didn’t get many runs. Good to see Rohit Sharma back, he did right to smash the bowlers. What’s the need to finish the game at the last overs and take it deep? Rohit hammered the bowlers,” Shoaib Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
“Disappointing performance… a very disappointing performance. Today, India completely hammered Pakistan. Rohit Sharma was a one-man army. I don't know where was Rohit Sharma in the last couple of years. He is a very big player and has a wide range of shots. He is a complete batter, a complete team,” Shoaib Akhtar explained.
Veteran Pakistan speedster Mohammad Amir slammed the team management for making dubious selection calls in the match against India.
“Since we are talking about Pakistan team, let me tell you where the problem is. Our preparations were wrong. Hasan Ali came into the World Cup after Naseem Shah got injured. Hasan Ali was not even in their plans. He was injured and not even playing,” Mohammad Amir said on Geo Sports.
“The one we were carrying for three years, Mohammad Wasim Jr, plays one match and sits out for the next two. He is still with the team, but is on the bench. And the one who came in as a replacement is bowling for Pakistan. You didn’t prepare someone to bowl in the new ball and who has come from outside is playing,” he concluded.
