While Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli appeared to be at their peak, there were a number of players who were not up to the mark in the 20-20 World Cup 2022. After winning four of their five Super 12 matches, India advanced to the tournament’s semi-finals, where they were defeated by England by a 10-wicket margin.
Following the humiliating result in the penultimate round, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar launched a scathing attack on the Indian team, claiming that “reaching the semi-final after beating teams like Zimbabwe and Netherlands isn’t a big deal.” Akhtar, known for his unfiltered criticism of cricket teams, including the Pakistan team, said in a YouTube video that the Indian team did not deserve to make the final.
“India don’t have express fast bowlers or cut-throat spinners in their team. Their team selection was also confusing and the players were brutally hammered. Indian pacers can’t perform if the conditions don’t suit them. Very disappointing performance from India and they don’t deserve to meet us (Pakistan) in the final at MCG. Their cricket has been exposed today,” Akhtar said.
Reaching the semi-finals isn’t a big deal: Shoaib Akhtar
According to the Rawalpindi Express, qualifying for the semi-finals isn’t a big deal because the group only has four teams, two of which are Zimbabwe and the Netherlands.
“Reaching the semi-finals isn’t a big deal. There were 4 good teams in total. You beat Netherlands and Zimbabwe, that’s nothing. India need to look at their leadership and the management needs to take accountability. It was a confusing selection as they went with Mohammed Shami despite having other good pacers at their disposal,” Akhtar further said.
Meanwhile, England and Pakistan advanced to the finals after victories over India and New Zealand, respectively. In just a few hours, the two will square off in the mega-clash. The final will be held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The two teams will compete for their second 20-20 World Cup title, with Pakistan winning in 2009 and England winning the following year in 2010.
