T20 World Cup 2024: Dismissing claims of International Cricket Council (ICC) favouring India on in the T20 World Cup 2024, former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt said Babar Azam-led team loves to blame everyone for their loss, except themselves. Butt also speculated that the accusations are merely because Pakistan does not like India winning.
Indian cricket team, led by skipper Rohit Sharma, regained the T20 World champion trophy after 17 long years after beating South Africa by seven runs in the finals in Barbados' Bridgetown on Saturday.
Butt, who was speaking during a debate on Cricket Baithak – a YouTube show, said, “We people are talking a lot about how ICC have favored India, how they scheduled their game in Guyana. If we had scored 42 runs in 42 balls – having eight wickets in hand – those would have been our matches."
"Let’s not think that since its India, we need to speak something on the matter,” he said in the video clip now going viral.
Praising Rohit Sharma-led team India for their "methodical approach" which he said is behind the team’s success, the 39-year-old Salman Butt has played 33 Test matches and 78 ODIs for Pakistan said, “If we speak professionally and on the basis of merit, they have played better cricket, their cricketing pathways are pretty clear."
Drawing a striking comparison between Indian and Pakistani cricket teams, Butt said his home team has no planner, while India, with their role clarity, leadership, coaching, the way they create bench strength, has announced its squad for the Zimbabwe series with all the youngsters and a young captain.
“They (India) will play a five-Test series against Australia this year, and before it will send their A-team to play four-day cricket. So, they do all the right things,” he said. While for Pakistan, Butt said, “Paper islamiyat ka hota hai, hum taiyaari English ki karte hai.”
He elaborated the comment saying, "We have a series against Bangladesh in Pakistan, and we are going to Australia to play four-day match. That too in Darwin. And then we turn to districts T20 cricket, while Pakistan’s next big event is 50-overs Champions Trophy (2025). Who is our planner?"
"Whatever we do is irrelevant. And then, we don’t like India winning. This does not present the right mindset,” Butt said.
Pakistan's departure from the group stages has elicited strong criticism from ex-players. After defeats to the USA and India, the team led by Babar Azam concluded with two victories out of four matches.
