PAK Vs AFG: Shoaib Akhtar Gives Bizarre Statement On Pakistan Vs Afghanistan World Cup Clash Says, "It's Pakistan Vs The Crowd"

The Pakistan cricket team braces itself for yet another nail-biting encounter in its journey through the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Facing their neighbours Afghanistan in their fifth World Cup match, Pakistan enters the contest with a mixed record of two wins and two losses in their previous four outings.

The Pakistan Vs Afghanistan showdown has historically been a cauldron of intense competition, and cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar predicts that this match will be no different. However, he believes it’s not just Pakistan vs. Afghanistan but also Pakistan vs. the crowd and the groundsmen.

In a video shared on Twitter, Shoaib Akhtar delivered a stern warning to Babar Azam’s men, urging them not to underestimate Afghanistan. He emphasized that this contest would be far from one-sided. Akhtar captioned the video, “It’s not just #PAKvsAFG. It’s Pak vs. the crowd. It’s Pak vs. the groundsmen. A tough match for us. Afghanistan is a tough team, they’re not any minnow or rollover.”

Watch: Shoaib Akhtar’s Video On Pakistan Vs Afghanistan

Its not just #PAKvsAFG .
Its Pak vs the crowd.
Its Pak vs the groundsmen.
Tough match for us. Afghanistan is a tough team, they’re not any minnow or roll over. pic.twitter.com/8RgeUOYcMP

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) October 22, 2023

Shoaib Akhtar went on to stress the significance of this match, highlighting its intensity and the potential for on-field tensions. He emphasized that Afghanistan is no pushover and should not be labelled as an “upset” team. Instead, they are on par with Pakistan and possess a formidable array of spinners who could pose a challenge for the Pakistani side.

He said, “It’s a crucial match, a big match. You know tempers flare in this match. By all means, Afghanistan are not minnows. This won’t be a run-over. This is not the sort of team where ‘upsets’ will be called. This is a team which is at par with Pakistan. They have all the spinners, and they will trouble the Pakistan team. Pakistan cannot afford to lose to Afghanistan, in fact, they can’t afford to lose to anyone,” 

Shoaib Akhtar expressed his belief that the pitches at Chepauk would significantly favour Afghanistan’s spinners, and they could also count on strong crowd support.

“Things that go in Afghanistan’s favour, I am telling you are crowd support, ground support, pitches are good (which favour them). I think the spinning track, which will be there, will favour spinners no matter if you bowl during the day or under the lights,” Akhtar remarked.

After starting the World Cup campaign with two consecutive victories, Pakistan faced defeats in their next two matches against arch-rivals India and Australia. Meanwhile, Afghanistan managed to secure a notable win against defending champions England but encountered losses against India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh.

As both teams vie for their tournament survival, fans can anticipate a neck-and-neck battle filled with high stakes and, undoubtedly, high tensions. The clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan promises to be a spectacle that captivates cricket enthusiasts worldwide.