NZ vs PAK: “Hume Apse Dubara Milna Hai” – Shoaib Akhtar Wants To See India vs Pakistan World Cup Final At MCG

Former Pakistan National Cricket Team speedster Shoaib Akhtar has said that he wants to see the face-off between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.

The Rohit Sharma-led Team India finished as the Group 2 table-toppers with 4 wins in 5 games to qualify for the semi-final 2 and they are set to take on England at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10.

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The Babar Azam-led Pakistan were staring at a first-round exit after back-to-back defeats against India and Zimbabwe. However, the Netherlands pulled off a huge upset by defeating South Africa on Sunday, which eventually helped Team Pakistan make it to the semi-finals. The Men In Green are set to take on New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, November 9.

Many cricket pundits, including Shoaib Akhtar, had predicted that the Men In Green won’t be able to secure a semi-final berth after the back-to-back defeats. The former pacer Akhtar had even said that Team India will face a defeat in the semi-final. However, now in a shocking turn of events, he wants to see the India-Pakistan World Cup final. He said:

“Mai pehle bhi keh chuka tha ki Pakistan is hafte wapas aa jayegi, aur agle hafte India wapas aa jayegi. Wo(India) bhi semi-final khel ke wapas aa jayegi. Wo bhi koi Tees Maar Khan nahi hai.” (I have said this earlier that Pakistan would be back home this week. India will be back next week. They are not such a great team, they will be back after losing the semi-final).

They have proved me wrong – Shoaib Akhtar

In a video shared on his official YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar said that Pakistan proved him wrong by not getting knocked out of the tournament in the Super 12 stage itself.

“They have proved me wrong. Pakistan wasn’t eliminated from the first round itself. Thanks to the Netherlands. Badi meharbani, apka bahut shukriya. (We are grateful to you). South Africans, you have lived it up. I am not going to say this word, but you have lived it up. And you have proved it that you had the tournament on the platter, and you let it go,” he can be heard saying on his Youtube channel.

Shoaib Akhtar further asserted that he wants to see the battle between Team India and Team Pakistan in the World Cup final.

“Hume apse dubara milna hai, ab depend karta hai India kaise khelna chahta hai(we want to meet you again in the final, now it depends how India plays).”

“Ab dekhte hai Pakistan kya karta hai, ye na ho ki India wapas aa rahi hai ek flight me, dusri flight me Pakistan bhi wapas na aa rahi ho…ye na ho!”(Let’s see, how Pakistan fares. It shouldn’t be that India comes back after losing the semi-final against England with Pakistan also returning in the next flight.)

“I want to see India-Pakistan final aur isme sabse zyada mazza pata hai kisko ayega? ICC and the broadcasters.” (I want to see an India-Pakistan final, and it will be the broadcasters and ICC who will be making the most of it.)

Also Read: IND vs ZIM: “I Am Absolutely Not Bothered At All” – Rahul Dravid On Rishabh Pant’s Poor Innings vs Zimbabwe In T20 World Cup 2022