Retired Pakistani batsman Basit Ali believes that the Indian cricket team will deliberately lose their remaining league stage games against either Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, so as to stifle his nation’s hopes of making the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-finals. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side remains in the running for a place in the final four after beating New Zealand on Wednesday. However, their fate still depends on other nations faltering, with all countries barring South Africa and Afghanistan still in the reckoning,
“India have played only five matches so far and they would never want Pakistan to qualify for the semi-final. India’s remaining matches are against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and everyone saw the way they played against Afghanistan," Basit was quoted as saying by Pakistan-based ARY News.
"People don't say that they will lose intentionally but India will play in such a way that people won't be able to make any remarks. When playing Australia, David Warner didn't play at all.”
"Cricket is not a game of chance. In 1992, New Zealand purposely lost to Pakistan (in the league stage) and Imran Khan would agree with that. The Kiwis lost so that they could play the semi-final in their own country."
India will deliberately loose to
— Sara Anam (@The_Sara_Anam) June 27, 2019
Bangladesh & Sri Lanka to hurt
chances of Pakistan in Semi final
said Basit Ali
( I dont believe it Its too much to
take ) #CWC2019
Let India win any one of these matches,and Basit Ali's prediction becomes a squeak
— Rakesh Sudan (@duddyx) June 27, 2019
If India are to lose their games against the Asian oppositions, they would be in a better position to reach the semi-finals as sides from 5 to 7 are separated just by a point as of now.
Feature image courtesy: Cricket World Cup/ Twitter
