Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players'India only play in Dubai. Are you afraid of going to Sharjah?': Ex-Pakistan star's controversial claim during TV debate
The former Pakistan star made a rather controversial claim during a television debate with fellow ex-Indian cricketers including Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Atul Wassan.
Team India will take on Pakistan in a blockbuster clash in its first game of the Super 4 stage on Sunday night (September 4) at the 2022 Asia Cup. This will be their second meeting in the continental tournament this year after India had earlier defeated the Babar Azam-led side by five wickets in the last Sunday's Group A clash in Dubai. Ahead of the game, both sides faced significant injury setbacks as India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury, while pacer Shahnawaz Dahani will also miss the game for Pakistan.
Any game between the two sides precedes much fanfare and even the former cricketers are emotionally charged for the clash as they discuss their team's respective chances. On Saturday, a host of India and Pakistan legends took part in a television debate as a build-up to the game in Dubai and as they continued to touch upon a number of key areas where phe game could be decided, former Pakistan cricketer Sikander Bakht made a rather controversial claim about the Indian team.
India have played both of their group games in Dubai as opposed to Pakistan, who took on Hong Kong at Sharjah. Bakht asked the Indian panel – that comprised of Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin, and Atul Wassan – if India are “scared” to play in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
“I just wanted to know, why doesn't India want to play in Sharjah or Abu Dhabi? They only play in Dubai. Are you afraid of playing in Sharjah? The draws had already been out,” Bakht said on GEO Super.
“The schedule had India's match against Pakistan in Sharjah. You guys changed it to Dubai. Are you afraid of going to Sharjah? We have been asked this question by our people, so I thought I would ask the same to you,” he had further added.
While Kapil and Azharuddin didn't bother to make a response, Atul Wassan hilariously said that Sharjah had been “bad” for the Indian team in the past.
“That ground has been pretty bad for us. Now, we are in strong favours with the ICC, so we are not playing there,” Wassan said, prompting laughter from both sets of panellists.
India will play all of their three games in the Super 4 in Dubai before the final, which is also scheduled at the same venue.
