'Pakistan se ye New Zealand team kaabu nahi aa rahi thi, but India ne...': Ex-PAK skipper's savage reply to reporter
While New Zealand defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the ODI series in January, the side faced a 0-3 clean-sweep defeat in the fifty-over format in India, and endured a 1-2 series loss in T20Is.
Team India registered an incredible 168-run victory in the third and final T20I of the series against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, thus clinching a 2-1 win. The side posted a mammoth score of 234/4, riding on Shubman Gill's exemplary knock of an unbeaten 126; the Indian bowlers, then, ran through the visitors' batting order as New Zealand were bowled out on merely 66. Hardik Pandya was the pick of the bowlers with impressive figures of 4/16 in four overs.
New Zealand had earlier faced a 0-3 clean sweep defeat in the ODI series against India; interestingly, the side had travelled to India with momentum on its side after the Kiwis had defeated Babar Azam's men 2-1 in the ODIs. The side's leading batter Kane Williamson wasn't a part of the touring party in India but former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt believes the Kiwis had a much trickier opposition in the men in blue.
The reporter asked Butt, ‘Pakistan se ye New Zealand ki team kaabu nahi aa rahi thi, but India me jaakar inko nakaami ka saamna karna pada. Kya New Zealand ko Pakistan se beheter opposition mili? (Pakistan couldn’t beat New Zealand at home, but the Kiwis lost to India. Did they find a better opposition there?)"; in turn, the former Pakistan skipper stated that India were ‘assured and clear’ in their thinking.
“New Zealand got an opposition that is assured and clear in its thinking. Their pool of players is big and they have exposure in international cricket, whether it be the 'A' team or first-class cricket. In every game, they have got more exposure,” Butt said on his official YouTube channel.
The former Pakistan captain further stated that Babar and co. took decisions in fear that led to their downfall in the home season.
“The way Pakistan played their home season, there was no clarity of thought. You could see the fear in their decisions. When you play with the fear of failure, you will never get the dsired results and Pakistan's home season season was the proof of that. There was fear, and all the decisions were made solely in fear,” said Butt.
“Here, they were clear about who will play, at what number the will play. It was just another level of clarity in India. England play so aggressively, there was no confusion there.”
