“Are you guys out of your mind?” – Shoaib Akhtar breaks silence on India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 game match-fixing rumours

Shoaib Akthar struck back at people who were propagating false rumours that the India vs. Sri Lanka game at the Asia Cup 2023 was fixed and that the Men in Blue played poorly having an agenda in mind. Some thought India were definitely in a position to flounder in a low-scoring game in Colombo but they ended up winning by 41 runs.

The Indian batting order which flowed like butter and put up 356 against Pakistan was not the same against Sri Lanka. The spin twins in Dunith Wellalege and Charit Asalanka picked up nine wickets between them in put India in a spot of bother at the halfway stage. India were staring down the barrel at 172-9 but Axar Patel smashed a couple of big hits which helped India end up with 213 in their 50 overs.

Pakistan don’t play ODI’s regularly -Shoaib Akhtar

“I’m receiving messages that India have fixed the game, they’re playing badly so that Pakistan get knocked out. Are you guys out of your mind? They’re bowling their hearts out. Wellalage has bowled really well. He also scored 43. Suddenly, I’m receiving phone calls that India are losing so that Pakistan can get eliminated. Man, why would they lose? They could’ve reached the final with win, and they did. Absolute nonsense,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“Wellalage, 20-year-old kid. He’s bowling and batting as well. There’s a fight there. I didn’t see this fight in our players. See, you can’t blame our fast bowlers. They don’t play regular ODIs, and then, you expect Haris, Naseem, Shaheen to bowl 10 overs and not get injured. All I want is a fight from Asia Cup, at least chase 300 runs. Reach at least 275. You gave up too soon. That was humiliating,”  Akhtar added talking about Wellalage’s bowling heroics.

India did not have the best of starts in the Asia Cup as they were bundled out for 266 against Pakistan. But that game was washed out and they won another rain-hit encounter against Nepal by 10 wickets in the group stages before finding their feet in the Super Fours.