Days after making disparaging comment about a popular female Bollywood actor, and later issuing an apology, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has now come up with an analysis on the Indian cricket team’s performance in the World Cup final, saying that the eventual outcome was a victory for the sport.
Razzaq came up with a bizarre allegation that as hosts, the Indian cricket team was unfairly using the home conditions, while stating that Australia’s win in the World Cup final was cricket’s triumph.
“Indians were over-confident (in the final),” Razzaq started as he analysed India’s performance in the World Cup final.
“Agar sahi baat kare toh aaj cricket jeeti hai. Aap conditions ko apni tarah utilise karke, ye kabhi bhi nahi aisa hota. Agar aaj India jeet jaati toh fir cricket jo hai naa vo India ki taraf ho jaati. Bilkul fair pitches honi chahiye, bilkul fair atmosphere hona chahiye, ki dono teams ke liye balance hona chahiye. Aaj bhi India ne advantage liya. (If I am being honest, the sport of cricket won today. The host country was using the conditions to their advantage. Cricket showed that it favours the team which is brave. If India would have won, I would have felt very bad. The pitches and the atmosphere should be fair. There should be balance for both teams. India tried to take advantage even in the final),” Razzaq said on Pakistan’s Geo TV.
During Sunday’s World Cup final in Ahmedabad, Australia had won the toss and against conventional wisdom, put India to bat before restricting them for 240. But Pat Cummins was proved right in the big decision as Australia, who were rare underdogs in a World Cup final, claimed their sixth trophy, thanks to Travis Head’s 120-ball 137 and a half century off Marnus Labuschagne.
Razzaq further said that, had Virat Kohli, who was dismissed on 54, scored another century, India would have won the match and their third World Cup trophy.
Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir, who was also on the panel, claimed that the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which was the same one used for the big-ticket group stage clash between Indian and Pakistan, was not up to the mark for a game of the stature of a World Cup final.