Don’t think ODI cricket has a future: Shoaib Akhtar
For the first time ever, India will host a 50-over World Cup. England and New Zealand will square off in a rematch of their championship match from the previous year in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium to open the main event. One of the quickest bowlers to have ever played the game, Shoaib Akhtar, claimed that the ‘Men in Blue’ losing streaks were primarily caused by the immense pressure the Indian media put on them, not by a lack of talent. The 48-year-old claims that when India feels greater pressure, their rivals find it easier to defeat them.
“India doesn’t lose a lot of games because they are talent-deficient. The pressure India faces from its own media causes it to lose. They become trapped there. Many statements are made that put undue pressure on the media, such as “Our sponsorship will die, our money is stuck,” and others. I want to ask the Indian media and you, Boria Majumdar, to show a little more consideration towards the Indian team. Why do you guys create such a lot of pressure? What is your process? We are insiders, so we know very well, but when you’re putting pressure on team India, it is ultimately the wrong thing to do, Shoaib stated in a conversation with Boria Majumdar Rev Sportz.
“I was performing a show with the Indian local stations last year while I was in Dubai. They bought the entire stadium, painted everything blue, and talked only about how Team India would destroy Pakistan. Who creates this much tension? When you cast Pakistan as the underdog, we are not under pressure. What will we do next? We have nothing to lose, so listen up, guys. Simply compete and prevail.
As he doesn’t see a future for 50-over cricket, Shoaib feared that the 2017 ODI World Cup would be the last of its kind. The former Pakistani bowler thought that the World Cup will bring in a sizable sum of money for India. When Shoaib revealed that Pakistan receives some of the money India earns for the International Cricket Council (ICC) and uses it to assist pay the expenses of the nation’s young domestic cricket players, he dropped a bomb.
“I’m hoping that the ODI World Cup in 2023 won’t be the final one because I don’t see a future for 50-over cricket. India should profit greatly from what will undoubtedly be the most stunning and wonderful World Cup. I firmly feel that India should reap huge financial benefits from this World Cup. I support this because not many people are aware that Pakistan receives a percentage of the cash from India that goes to the International Cricket Council (ICC), which is used to pay the fees for the young domestic cricket players.
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