Former cricketers tear into Arthur for blaming stadium atmosphere for loss

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Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed discontent with Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur's remarks following Pakistan's seven-wicket loss to India in the 2023 Cricket World Cup on Saturday.

During the post-match press conference, Arthur had commented that the match felt more like a "BCCI event" than an "ICC event," expressing disappointment in the lack of support for the Pakistan team at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Chopra sarcastically responded to Arthur's statements, stating that a song shouldn't be used as an excuse, especially considering Pakistan's comprehensive defeat under Babar Azam's leadership. He also mentioned the absence of their unofficial team anthem, "Dil Dil Pakistan," being played during the match.

"DJ wale babu mera gana baja do…I mean seriously???? Did we hear Sri Lanka complain about the fact that the Hyderabad crowd was chanting ‘Pakistan Jeetega'?? I'll be genuinely surprised if the DJ at Narendra Modi Stadium played ‘Dil Dil Pakistan' even once today," Chopra wrote on X.

DJ wale babu mera gana baja do…I mean seriously????

Did we hear Sri Lanka complain about the fact that the Hyderabad crowd was chanting ‘Pakistan Jeetega’??

I’ll be genuinely surprised if the DJ at Narendra Modi Stadium played ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ even once today. https://t.co/Nt6yM8Otme

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 14, 2023

 

A BCCI official has also responded to Arthur’s statement.

"You tell us when we should have played?  When Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were dismissed or when Rohit Sharma hit six to Shaheen Afridi," the BCCI official asked while talking to Indian media.

"One can play this when fans are present but there was no one for the Pakistan team," the official added.

Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram also strongly criticized Arthur for his unusual remarks in the aftermath of a substantial defeat against India. Arthur's comments were termed as strange by Akram.

While speaking on a local sports channel, Akram expressed his discontent with Arthur's statement and urged him to shed light on their game plan against Kuldeep Yadav rather than offering vague comments.

"I don't know what to make of this statement. Tell us what your plans were against Kuldeep Yadav, that's what we want to hear, not just random stuff. You think you can get away with this? You can't, unfortunately,"Akram said.

Former Pakistan cricketer, Moin Khan, another member of the analysis panel, supported Akram's sentiment, stating that Arthur's focus should be on addressing the team's performance rather than attempting to divert attention.

"He is trying to divert now that hearts are aching. He is trying to touch an emotional chord. I think he should concentrate on his profession and not on something else. He is right in what he said, but as a coach, he should not be saying these things," Moin said.

It is worth noting that India bowled out Pakistan for 191 after their rivals collapsed from 155-2 in the World Cup clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday.