Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria indirectly criticised Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan for dedicating his country's victory against Sri Lanka to those affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza. Rizwan's dedication came after Pakistan's win over Sri Lanka, driven by centuries from Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique, helping them chase down a target of 345.
In response, Kaneria posted on X, "Next time, dedicate your victory to humanity. The Almighty never supports cruelty. #IndvsPak."
Despite the hype surrounding the India vs Pakistan match, Pakistan suffered a heavy seven-wicket loss to India in the World Cup 2023. After losing two early wickets, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan added 82 runs for the third wicket. However, Pakistan's innings collapsed after Azam's departure, losing their last eight wickets for just 36 runs and getting bowled out for 191.
In the second innings, Rohit Sharma's brilliant 86 helped India secure a comfortable victory. This loss marked Pakistan's first defeat in the World Cup 2023, following wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. Pakistan's next match is against Australia in Bengaluru on October 20.
The India vs Pakistan match was marred by controversies, with Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur suggesting that it resembled a BCCI event more than an ICC event due to the lack of Pakistan fan presence at the match, as they were denied visas.
"Look, I'd be lying if I said it did. 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," said Arthur "But I'm not going to use that as an excuse because for us it was about living the moment, it was about the next ball and it was about how we were going to combat the Indian, the Indian players tonight," Arthur added.
Wasim Akram, providing expert insights on a sports channel, expressed his displeasure with Arthur's comments and urged him to focus on discussing cricket strategies, particularly against Kuldeep Yadav. "I don't know what to make of this statement. Tell us what your plans were against Kuldeep Yadav, that's what we want to hear, not just random stuff. You think you can get away with this? You can't, unfortunately," an angry Akram said after the match.
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