Shoaib Akhtar, the former Pakistani fast bowler, appreciates Arshdeep Singh for his impressive bowling in the Asia Cup, 2022.
On Tuesday, India lost to Sri Lanka in their second super-four fixture of the Asia Cup, 2022. Rohit Sharma’s 72 off 41 deliveries helped India put together a score of 173 on the board. Chasing the total, Sri Lankan openers put up 90 runs in the first ten overs. They lost wickets in the middle, but the Lankan skipper led the team from the front and took the game home. India is now eliminated from the tournament after Pakistan registered a thrilling 1-wicket win over Afghanistan on Wednesday. The Men in Blue suffered their second consecutive defeat in just three days. Reactions have been pouring in from all over the world after the defending champion’s flop show.
Shoaib Akhtar urges Indian fans to back their players
Veteran Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar took Youtube to share his views on the India vs Sri Lanka game. In a video posted by him, he expressed his disappointment, stating that he wanted to see India and Pakistan in the final of the Aisa Cup. He said that India should not be disheartened and should look at this as a good wake-up call before the T20 World Cup. The pacer said,
“If you want to look at the high side, India has got a good wake-up call. From here, India needs to find their final eleven. This is a good thing for India. So before the World Cup, India has got a good wake-up call and they can decide on their final eleven. Now they know where they’re weak”
He further urged India to make improvements in their bowling department and also praised Hardik Pandya for maintaining a good pace. He said,
“From here, India should improve their bowling. They need to find their five bowlers in their final eleven. One more good thing is that Hardik Pandya is bowling above 140”
Akhtar backs under fire Arshdeep Singh
The veteran backed Arshdeep Singh, who has been under constant criticism since the last dropped catch against Pakistan. He said that even though Arshdeep was casual in the field, he was impressed with the bowl.
“Arshdeep Singh is bowling well. Yes, he dropped the catch, but mistakes happen. But he is a very good fast bowler. He bowled well in the final over. Unfortunately, he could win the match but he bowled very well that over. I really think he is a good talent”
The young Indian pacer, Arshdeep Singh, dropped a crucial catch of Asif Ali in the 18th over of the match against Pakistan. That proved costly for the team as they registered a five-wicket loss. Ever since he has been caught in the grip of criticism. He has been trolled mercilessly on social media. His colleagues and many ex-cricketers have come out in support of the youngster.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is just a few weeks away. India still has time for trial and error in the upcoming Australia series.
