After Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2022 semi-finals hope suffered a big blow with the defeat against Zimbabwe, Shoaib Akhtar expects the Indian team to bow out of the tournament next week.
Entire Pakistan is fuming after Thursday’s result in the T20 World Cup 2022. Babar Azam & Co. fell to minnow Zimbabwe in the Group 2 match and are now all but out of the semi-finals contentions. From Pakistan’s group, India and South Africa remain the two strongest contenders to go through. While expressing his disappointment at the nature of the performances Pakistan have produced in Australia, Akhtar also said that he expects the Indian team to bow out of the tournament next week in the semi-finals stage.
“It’s really disappointing. I have said this earlier that Pakistan will return home this week. India, too, will go back home after playing the semi-final as they too aren’t that good,” Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.
He went on to add: “Maine pehle bhi kaha hai ki Pakistan iss haftah Pakistan waapas aa jayegi, aur agle hafte India bhi waapas aa jayegi semi-final khel ke. Vo bhi koi utne tees maar khan nahi hain (I had said it before that Pakistan will return home this week while India will be back next week, after playing the semi-final. They (India) aren’t a quality team either).”
From skipper Babar Azam to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Akhtar blamed everyone for the results the team earned in Australia. He even blamed the board for selecting ‘unworthy players’.
“Your performances are average. Enjoy, and keep selecting unworthy players. Don’t let in good people. I’m not talking about myself. The job can go to hell. I’m just worried that the country suffers because of this. Don’t bring cut-for-role people, who are disciplined and know how things work. You’ve ruined everything,” a furious Akhtar further said.
The result puts Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 in serious doubt. Placed 5th in the Group 2 standings, Pakistan have 3 more games to go and they don’t have a single win to their name. India, on the other hand, have won both of their first two games.
