Pakistan’s crushing 61-run defeat to arch-rivals India in the T20 World Cup has largely been framed around their shortcomings, especially after they were bowled out for just 114. Much of the discussion has centered on Pakistan’s lack of intensity and inability to match the defending champions, particularly with the bat.
However, former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif believes that narrative has unfairly overshadowed India’s own excellence that night. While acknowledging that Pakistan was well below the required standard, Kaif argued that India’s quality and composure under pressure deserved much greater recognition.
Speaking to ABP News, Kaif expressed frustration at the way the debate was shaped, singling out Shoaib Akhtar for focusing primarily on Pakistan’s struggles rather than India’s performance.
“Since we started the show I am not happy, because you have been saying that the Pakistan team is weak, it is a team without energy. If that team had won today, then 100% Shoaib Akhtar would be saying right now that the BCCI is proud, that the players have too much ego,” Kaif argued.
“I mean by showing Pakistan as weak, they are taking away India’s excellence. They have only been showing that Pakistan is in trouble, that there is no system, but what does that matter for India?” continuous.
Kaif pointed to Ishan Kishan’s match-winning 77 off 40 balls as an example of how India thrives under extreme pressure. The opener, playing his first match against Pakistan, struck one of the most notable knocks in the history of the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup despite the challenging surface.
“We are talking about India, the Indian captain, Ishan Kishan, who played against Pakistan for the first time, how much pressure must be on him, we are not talking about that. You have to give credit to the Indian players because they are playing in a circumstance where, imagine, if they lost, it would have been an outcry,” Kaif said.
He also underlined the intense scrutiny that Indian players face in such high-stakes matchups, recalling how criticism can increase after defeats like the one at the 2021 World Cup.
“You would say Suryakumar Yadav is not giving his hand and now the team has lost, they think they are very brave. Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, all of them would have been judged if they had lost this match today,” Kaif said.
Now that India has reached the Super 8 stage, Kaif’s comments serve as a reminder that victories in competitions of this magnitude are based not only on the opposition’s mistakes but also on skill, temperament and the ability to withstand enormous pressure.