AUS vs PAK: Wasim Akram Criticises Mickey Arthur's Post Match Comments, Says 'That's What We Want To Hear'

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram criticized team director Mickey Arthur’s post-match comments following India’s victory in the 2023 World Cup match. Wasim Akram stressed the importance of clear plans and added that vague statements wouldn’t be tolerated.

Wasim Akram’s statement came after Mickey Arthur expressed disappointment about the crowd predominantly supporting Team India during the match. The Pakistan team director mentioned that it felt more like a bilateral event hosted by the BCCI than an ICC event.

It Didn’t Seem Like An ICC Event – Mickey Arthur

During the post-match press conference, Mickey Arthur acknowledged that the lack of crowd support had an impact on their performance. However, he emphasized that it was not used as an excuse for the loss against India.

“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,” Arthur said.

“So yes, that does play a role, 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,” he continued.

The Narendra Modi Stadium had an almost 125,000-capacity crowd that passionately supported the Indian team. The BCCI faced challenges in coordinating with the Indian government to obtain travel approvals for Pakistani fans before the match.

Batao Aap Logo Ne Kya Plan Kiya Tha? – Wasim Akram

In response to Arthur’s remarks, Wasim Akram raised questions about the team’s preparation and strategy, particularly regarding their plans to counter Kuldeep Yadav.

“Bhaiya hame ye batao aap logo ne kya plan kiya tha? (Brother, tell me what was the plan?) Kuldeep Yadav ko kaese khelna hai? (How did you prepare to play Kuldeep Yadav?) That’s what we want to hear. Not this random stuff. You think you can get away with this. No, you can’t, unfortunately,” said Akram, as quoted by A-Sports.

India secured a seven-wicket victory in the highly anticipated match in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14. Kuldeep Yadav played a crucial role by dismissing Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed for single-digit scores, contributing to Pakistan’s batting order collapse.

Also read: IND vs PAK: Wasim Akram Shares Massive Rohit Sharma Threat To Pakistan Team Ahead Of World Cup Clash