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Cricket Players‘Rohit Sharma’s best move was to tell Ahmedabad DJ not to play Dil Dil Pakistan': Vaughan takes sarcasm to new level
A sarcastic Michael Vaughan said Rohit's best decision in World Cup 2023 would be to ask the DJ in Ahmedabad not to pay the ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ song.
Pakistan technical director Mickey Arthur's reaction after their loss against India in Ahmedabad is going to be hard to beat as the most polarising statement of this World Cup. Arthur said it felt like a bilateral series organised by the BCCI instead of an ICC event and one of the major reasons behind that was the choice of music played at the venue during the match. "It didn't seem like an ICC event to be brutally honest. It seemed like a bilateral series; it seemed like a BCCI event. I didn't hear Dil Dil Pakistan coming through the microphones too often tonight,” he had said after India beat Pakistan by 7 wickets.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also lodged an official complaint for the hostile treatment their players received during the match. A lot has been said by former cricketers of both sides since then. Mostly, Arthur's comments and PCB's complaint were looked at with the corner of an eye but what former England Michael Vaughan did was unique.
Using sarcasm without batting an eyelid, Vaughan said Rohit Sharma has been spot on with his batting and captaincy in this World Cup but his best decision to date would be to ask the DJ in Ahmedabad not to pay the ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ song.
Responding to Former Australia keeper Adam Gilchrist's high praise of Rohit in a podcast, Vaughan said Rohit is "ahead of his time."
“Gilly, you are absolutely spot on about Rohit. His tactical awareness out in the middle, just managing the players, as you mentioned [Mohammed] Siraj, giving him an extra over just to give him a boost. But his best move without doubt, the move that won the game and the Pakistan coach alluded to it afterwards, is Rohit obviously said to the DJ, just do not play ‘Dil, Dil, Pakistan’. If you play, Pakistan will win. Do not play that song. Make sure that they don’t hear that inspirational song. That was clever from Rohit. Most captains don’t think about things like that - DJs, music. Rohit is ahead of his time,” Vaughan said leaving Gilchrist in splits.
India and Pakistan's campaigns have gone in different directions in this World Cup so far since that match in Ahmedabad. After hammering Pakistan by 7 wickets, India registered another walk-in-the-park victory against Bangladesh. Four of India's top five batters seem in top form with Rohit and Virat Kohli already having a century to each to their name.
As far as India's bowling is concerned, it is in perfect condition thanks to Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. The only issue they will have will be to find a replacement for Hardik Pandya who has been ruled out of their next match against New Zealand due to an ankle injury.
But problems are never-ending for Pakistan. After going down to India without much of a fight, Pakistan lost to Australia in an all-important match in Bengaluru. Their bowling and fielding appear to be a huge worry. They dropped as many as three easy catches against Australia and their top bowlers - Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf are yet to find their mojo.
