Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, known for his outspoken remarks, expressed relief over India’s loss to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match. Despite India resting several key players, Bangladesh emerged victorious by six runs, marking their first win against India in an Asia Cup match since 2012.
Akhtar highlighted that Bangladesh is not an average team and suggested that the loss should serve as a wake-up call for India ahead of the final against Sri Lanka.
Following India’s defeat in the inconsequential match, Akhtar characterized it as an “embarrassing loss.” He acknowledged that Bangladesh, like other teams in the tournament, plays international cricket and deserves credit for their performance. While India had already secured a spot in the final, Akhtar emphasized the importance of not underestimating opponents in international cricket.
“India have lost the game. Embarrassing loss. We can’t criticise too much. Bangladesh are here to play. People were criticising Pakistan, saying that they got beaten up. Sri Lanka are a good team, not an average team. The same is the case with Bangladesh. They are all playing international cricket. Finally, some relief for the Pakistan fans, including me, that India have lost the game,” Akhtar said.
Akhtar urged India to take the loss as a wake-up call before the final against Sri Lanka. He cautioned against complacency and emphasized that small teams can pose challenges, as demonstrated by Bangladesh’s victory. Akhtar noted that Bangladesh made a statement by defeating India and emphasized the need for teams to remain competitive and focused in international tournaments.
“What a wake-up call for India before the final. You can’t take teams lightly after winning a few games. No disrespect to them but Bangladesh made a statement that they are here to prove a point,” Akhtar added.
Akhtar concluded by suggesting that there are no clear favorites for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India. He cautioned against making premature predictions and highlighted the unpredictable nature of cricket. Akhtar emphasized that even strong teams like India can face challenges from smaller teams, making the World Cup an open competition with multiple contenders.
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“We are saying that Pakistan and India are favourites at World Cup. These two, along with Australia and England, will reach the semis. This is not the case. Keep your predictions to yourself. A strong team like India has lost to Bangladesh. Shubman Gill’s century was also of no use. Small teams will trouble. This is anybody’s game. Shubman Gill’s ton went in vain. Now it’s anybody’s game in World Cup,” he said.
Shoaib Akhtar expressed relief over India’s loss to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match and labeled it an “embarrassing loss.” He encouraged India to view the defeat as a wake-up call and cautioned against underestimating opponents in international cricket. Akhtar also highlighted the unpredictability of the upcoming ODI World Cup, emphasizing that it is anyone’s game and discouraging premature predictions.
