![Shoaib Akhtar speaks on India's T20 World Cup win [Source: rebel_notout, BCCI/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1773032421880_ShoaibAkhtarGautamGambhirSuryakumarYadavT20WorldCup.jpg?type=hq)
Shoaib Akhtar speaks on India's T20 World Cup win [Source: rebel_notout, BCCI/X.com]
India’s record third ICC T20 World Cup title ruffled a few feathers around the cricketing circuit. Among the ones who caught headlines after New Zealand succumbed to India’s juggernaut was Shoaib Akhtar, who was an expert on a TV show in Pakistan.
The former Pakistan pacer blasted the BCCI and its soft power in the world of cricket, but eventually could not hold back his praise for the well-run machinery that Indian cricket is. Notably, this happened just days after Pakistani players were fined for their embarrassing Super 8 exit from the tournament, prompting social media trolls.
Watch – Shoaib Akhtar reacts to India’s T20 World Cup win
During the post-match breakdown of the India vs New Zealand final in Ahmedabad, Akhtar did not hold back before making fun of the BCCI and calling them the rich kid in the colony. He felt India invites select few teams to beat them and is destroying cricket.
To his credit, Shoaib Akhtar was all praise for how well-run the Indian cricketing structure is and spoke highly of Gautam Gambhir’s coaching for how he backed his players based on merit. He also mentioned the key performers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma in the segment.
“India acts like the rich kid in the colony, who invites others but says, ‘only I shall win.” There are four of the eight big teams left — they invite three and play among themselves. It has destroyed cricket,” Shoaib Akhtar said.
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“India’s policies and system have won, and most importantly, the merit won. They could have misused the money, but Gambhir proved that he can win the tournament as he introduced Sanju Samson despite all the odds and risks based on merit. The management happily said goodbye to Kohli and Rohit and still won the World Cup,” Shoaib Akhtar added.
“India showed that their intentions to grow cricket are in the right place, and they try to present opportunities to the right people. They are injecting money at the right places. Look at the respect they showed to Rohit, Dhoni and Kapil Dev in the final. Congratulations to India,” Shoaib Akhtar concluded.
Pakistan cricket under the pump
Led by Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB went on a brawl with the ICC and BCCI ahead of the T20 World Cup, also momentarily boycotting the India game in the group stages. However, as the tournament got rolling, they faced India and suffered a crushing 61-run loss at the hands of the World Champions.
Since their solitary win over India in the World Cups in 2021, it has been a lopsided affair between the two teams, heavily in India’s favour. Additionally, Pakistan have been knocked out of the group stage twice in the last three tournaments, and failed to reach the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026.
In the midst of these performances, as compared by Akhtar in the aforementioned show, they continue to face organisational and operational failures in the PCB. Since their 2009 T20 World Cup win, they have also only won a single ICC event, while India have lifted five titles.
Crucial year for Pakistan cricket
Up next, Pakistan will be in action from March 11 as they take on Bangladesh in three ODIs, away from home, before the PSL starts and they go on a break.
In the World Test Championship, they finished 5th, 9th (bottom) in the last three editions and are placed 5th currently. Having finished at the rock bottom in the last cycle and ranked at number 7, they will look to redeem themselves in the upcoming months, as they tour England for three Tests in August.
Having dropped Babar Azam from the ODIs, they will also look to rebuild their squad with the upcoming World Cup 2027 in mind from the Bangladesh tour onwards. It will be interesting to see how they integrate the new crop of players from the recent U19 Cricket World Cup into the senior team.
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