Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan Team director, has been getting trolled left, right, and center by everyone, including Pakistanis, for his comment in the post-match press conference following the 7-wicket loss to India in Ahmedabad.
Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 campaign took a massive dent – not just because of the loss to India after two consecutive wins, but moreover because of the manner of their loss – at the Narendra Modi Stadium as they collapsed from 155/2 to 191 all-out before Rohit Sharma’s blitz left the bowlers looking for a hiding.
Mickey Arthur made a bizarre statement about the match feeling like a “BCCI event” with the 130,000-capacity crowd in support of India, and the DJ not playing Dil Dil Pakistan song “too often”.
Former Pakistan captain and one of their heroes of the 1992 World Cup win, Wasim Akram, lashed out at Mickey Arthur for his statement in the aftermath of the loss.
Speaking on A-Sports, an angry Akram said: “Bhaiya hame ye batao aap logo ne kya plan kiya tha? (Brother, tell me what was the plan?) Kuldeep Yadav ko kaese khelna hai? (How did you prepare to play Kuldeep Yadav?) That’s what we want to hear. Not this random stuff. You think you can get away with this. No, you can’t, unfortunately.”
Mickey Arthur is diverting attention: Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram reckons Arthur was trying to divert the attention of the fans with his comments about there being no support in Ahmedabad for Pakistan from their loss. Akram strongly opined that Arthur was wrong in making such a remark.
“(He is) diverting attention. A lot of people are disheartened and you’re making them emotional. I think he should discuss what is his job as a professional rather than showing a new path. As a coach, he shouldn’t have said that.
“We should praise them (BCCI or making the most of the home crowd). Hamare yahan event ho so ham bhi isi tarah utilize karen. (If we host such events, we should also utilize them). We should learn from them,” the former fast bowler added.
Pakistan’s next match is against Australia on Friday in Bangalore.
