Aakash Chopra has launched a scathing attack on ex-Pakistan cricketers, who have claimed that India deliberately lost to England in the 2019 Cricket World Cup
Former India opener and commentator Aakash Chopra slammed former Pakistani cricketers for accusing Indian players of deliberately tanking their chase against England during their 2019 ICC World Cup match so as to ensure that Pakistan get knocked out. (More Cricket News)
"I am wearing a T-shirt which says Sharam (shame) not found. Think a little and have some shame. Waqar Younis, despite being the brand ambassador for the ICC, gave a statement during the World Cup that India threw the match away on purpose. I mean seriously," said Chopra on his YouTube show 'AakashVani'
India needed to chase down a target of 338 to win the match which would have ensured that Pakistan reach the knockout stages but they ended up being restricted to 306/5. England all rounder Ben Stokes later went on to speak about the Indian batsmen's approach to the chase in his latest book "Ben Stokes on Fire."
This led to a number of former Pakistan players with Abdul Razzaq even saying that there should be "a fine and a penalty" for this. Stokes himself later clarified that he never meant that he felt India deliberately lost the match.
"It is understandable if the partnership between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma didn't make sense to Stokes or if he was confused by MS Dhoni's approach towards the end," said Chopra.
"But he never said that India deliberately lost the match. Pakistan's former cricketers are openly saying that India lost deliberately and ICC should fine them. How can you think like that?
"It was more important for India to top the group at that time. India only lost one game in the group stages and that happened to be that game against England," he said.