Asia Cup 2023: Shoaib Akhtar Loses His Cool After “India Fixed The Game” Accusation.
Watch how Shoaib Akhtar exploded at supporters who yelled, “India have fixed the game” after Rohit Sharma’s team was dismissed for 213.
In their second Super 4 encounter, India defeated Sri Lanka to go to the Asia Cup 2023 final, however given the first innings’ performance, it seemed like the hosts could just barely escape with a victory. With five wickets, Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage decimated India’s top order. Many Indian supporters claimed that India had “fixed the game” and was aiming to lose the match on purpose when they were bowled out for 213 runs in messages sent to former Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar, though, retaliated by denouncing the supporters’ stupidity.
“I have no idea what you guys are up to. I keep receiving jokes and comments claiming that India has manipulated the game and is purposefully falling short of Pakistan. Are you okay? Sri Lanka is bowling with all of their might. Wellalalge and Asalanka gave it their all while bowling. You noticed the 20-year-old youth? He captured 5 wickets and scored 43 runs. In a video posted to his YouTube page, Akhtar ripped at supporters while praising Sri Lanka for their grit throughout the game. “I am getting phone calls from India and other countries, saying India were losing deliberately,” Akhtar claimed.
Akhtar even questioned the crowd as to why India would lose when a win would guarantee their place in the championship game. The Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav received particular acclaim from The Rawalpindi Express for his four wickets, which helped his side win the game.
Tell me why they would lose. They want to go to the final. You wind up creating memes for no apparent reason. India made a fantastic comeback. It was huge the way Kuldeep played. Look at Jasprit Bumrah and the struggle he went through to defend a meager total, Akhtar advised.
The Pakistani star went so far as to criticize Babar Azam’s squad for their ‘lack of fight’ in their most recent encounter against India. Even the pacers Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Afridi had their fitness questioned by him.
“Wellalage, a young man of 20, is fighting. He is pitching and hitting, giving it his all. Pakistani athletes were unable to demonstrate this fight. Our speed bowlers do not participate. When did they last play 25–30 ODIs in a row? Then, we anticipate that Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah will each bowl 10 overs without suffering an injury. I want Pakistan to take up the struggle again. This was embarrassing,” Akhtar said.
Pakistan will need to defeat Sri Lanka in their next encounter in order to secure the second berth in the championship game, with India already having advanced to the final.
