The last day of the group stage encounters at the T20 World Cup 2022 threw up a number of results that changed the permutations and combinations of the entire tournament. Perhaps Pakistan was the biggest benefactor as they now find themselves in the last four! Just a week ago, they were staring at a first-round exit after back-to-back losses to India and Zimbabwe.
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So, not only their fortunes changed, but the naysayers like former Pakistan cricketers like Shoaib Akhtar also made a sudden u-turn within hours after it got clear that Pakistan are through to the semi-final. Earlier, Akhtar had lashed out at Men in Green, adding that they will be out in the first round. He also said India will follow their neighbors home after losing the semi-final. Now Akhtar can be heard saying that he wants an India-Pakistan final.
“They have proved me wrong. Pakistan wasn’t eliminated from the first round itself. Thanks to Netherlands. Badi meharbani, apka bahut shukriya. (We are grateful to you). South Africans, you have lived it up. I am not going to say this word, but you have lived it up. And you have proved it that you had the tournament on the platter, and you let it go,” he can be head saying on his Youtube channel.
“Hume apse dubara milna hai, ab depend karta hai India kaise khelna chahta hai (we want to meet you again in the final, now it depends how India plays).”
“Ab dekhte hai Pakistan kya karta hai, ye na ho ki India wapas aa rahi hai ek flight me, dusri flight me Pakistan bhi wapas na aa rahi ho…ye na ho!”(Let’s see, how Pakistan fares. It shouldn’t be that India comes back after losing the semi-final against England with Pakistan also returning in the next flight.)
“I want to see India-Pakistan final aur isme sabse zyada mazza pata hai kisko ayega? ICC and the broadcasters.” (I want to see an India-Pakistan final, and it will be the broadcasters and ICC who will be making the most of it.)
Earlier, the former Pak bowler had said that Pakistan and India both will be out of the T20 World Cup.
“Mai pehle bhi keh chuka tha ki Pakistan is hafte wapas aa jayegi, aur agle hafte India wapas aa jayegi. Wo(India) bhi semi-final game. Wo bhi koi Tees Maar Khan nahi hai.” (I have said this earlier that Pakistan would be back home this week. India will be back next week. They are not such a great team, they will be back after losing the semi-final)
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