Pakistan’s performance against India in the 2023 Cricket World Cup left much to be desired, with Babar Azam’s team suffering a 7-wicket defeat on Saturday. India’s performance showcased their determination and potential to go far in the tournament.
While Pakistan fans were reeling from their team’s embarrassing loss, a notable incident involving their captain, Babar, and India’s Virat Kohli gained widespread attention on social media.
In this incident, Kohli presented a couple of Team India shirts to Babar on the field, in front of cameras, and the footage was replayed on television screens worldwide. However, this gesture did not sit well with Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram.
During a conversation on A-Sports, Akram criticized Babar for accepting the shirts from Kohli in such a public manner. He argued that if Babar wanted to acquire Kohli’s T-shirts, it should have been done privately, away from the cameras, perhaps in the dressing room.
“That’s exactly what I said when I saw the picture of them exchanging t-shirts publicly, not privately,”
Akram remarked.
“Today was not the appropriate time for such an act. If you wish to do it – even if it’s at the request of a relative’s child to get Kohli’s shirt – (agar chache ke puttar ne keh diya hai ki t-shirt chahiye kohli ki) it should be done after the game, behind closed doors, in the dressing room,”
he added.
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https://x.com/Delphy06/status/1713272053179023458?s=20
After the match, Babar conceded that his team’s performance had been far from convincing. Despite initially aiming for a target of 280-290 runs, Pakistan could only manage 191.
“We had a good start, with a solid partnership between Imam and me. Rizwan and I aimed to play conventional cricket. However, we experienced a sudden batting collapse and failed to finish strong. We wanted to target 280-290 runs. Our new ball bowling was not up to par.
The way Rohit Sharma batted – he played an exceptional innings,”
Babar Azam commented following the match.
Conversely, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, took a dig at Pakistan’s batsmen, asserting that the pitch was not one that warranted a 190-run score.
“Our bowlers set the stage for us today. I don’t believe it was a 190-run pitch. At one point, we were eyeing a total of 280. The determination and resilience they showed speak volumes. It’s a trait we take pride in. We have six individuals capable of delivering with the ball. My role as captain is pivotal there as well. It involves assessing the conditions and selecting the right person for the task,”
Rohit stated after the match.
