‘Do it after the game in the dressing room’ – Wasim Akram criticises Babar Azam for asking Virat Kohli’s jersey after Pakistan’s loss to India in ODI WC 2023

ODI World Cup 2023
Steven
October 15, 2023

The Indian cricket team have kept their streak alive as they recently defeated Pakistan once again in the ODI World Cup. India has now defeated Pakistan eight times in the ODI World Cup and I have shown utter dominance over the neighbours in the world’s biggest Cricket tournament.

After the game, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam requested Virat Kohli for his uncle’s son which has been highly criticised by the Pakistani fans and Cricket experts. As per Pakistan’s former speedster Wasim Akram, the match day was not the day Azam should have taken this step.

“That’s what I exactly said when I saw the picture [getting the shirts publicly, not privately]. Today was not the day to do this. If you want to do it – (agar chache ke puttar ne keh diya hai ki t-shirt chahiye kohli ki) if your uncle’s son has asked you to get Kohli’s shirt – then do it after the game in the dressing room,” said Wasim Akram while criticizing Babar Azam.

Babar Azam and Jasprit Bumrah on India’s victory over Pakistan in ODI World Cup 2023

“We started well. Good partnership between me and Imam. We wanted to play normal cricket (me and Rizwan). Suddenly we had a collapse and didn’t finish well. The way we started, wanted to target 280-290. With the new ball we are not up to the mark. The way Rohit is playing – he played an outstanding innings”, said Babar Azam in the post match ceremony.

“It felt good. Usually you try to analyse the wicket as soon as possible. We realised the wicket is on the slower side so we wanted to bowl hard lengths. We were trying to make it as difficult as possible. (On how he reads pitches quickly and understands what lengths work) Just being aware I guess. I used to ask a lot of questions when I was young and that helps me now. Now I’m experienced. In my younger days they (seniors) were used to being troubled by me sometimes (with questions), but it helps to read the wicket and try different options. We were bowling in the middle overs and I saw Jaddu’s ball was turning, not too much but a little bit. I count my slower ball as a spinner’s slower ball, one of those days where it came off”, Jasprit Bumrah on being awarded the player of the match.