Wasim Akram Slams Pakistan Captain Babar Azam For Receiving Virat Kohli Jersey After Embarrassing Loss To India In Cricket World Cup 2023

After the end of the India Vs Pakistan match in Cricket World Cup 2023, Virat Kohli gifted his signed jersey for Babar Azam and this gesture has not gone down well with Akram.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has come down hard on current skipper Babar Azam after the team's loss to India in the crucial tie of the Cricket World Cup 2023 on Saturday. Akram was more upset over Babar receiving the signed Indian cricket team jersey by Virat Kohli after the match at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. Having being bundled out for just 191 in just 42.5 overs, Pakistan did not give many runs on the board to their bowlers to defend as India chased down the target in under 31 overs.

Post the loss, Kohli gave a couple of jerseys to Babar and this whole event took place in public view. Kohli's gift to Babar was captured by the cameramen at the stadium and the video went viral instantly on social media website.

Akram, who is an expert with A Sports, got a question from a Pakistani fan over the gift received by Babar from Kohli, in public view, after such a big loss. The fan wanted Akram's opinion on it, saying that this should have been a private matter and should not have been done in an open ground. Akram concurred with this view, adding that if your uncle's son had wished for a Kohli shirt, receive it in the dressing room.

"That’s what I exactly said when I saw the picture (getting the shirts publicly, not privately),"Akram said. "Today was not the day to do this. If you want to do it – if your uncle’s son has asked you to get Kohli’s shirt – then do it after the game in the dressing room."

This is Pakistan' first loss in the ongoing World Cup. Akram said that Pakistan were not prepared for the India match, underlining the fact that the gap, in terms of quality, is widening between the teams. Akram said that he had warned the Pakistani team about the Kuldeep Yadav threat. The left-arm spinner from India has consistently done well vs Pakistan in this format. On Saturday, he continued his dominance over Pakistani batters, picking two crucial wickets in the middle phase to break the back of their batting lineup. 

Pakistan have a tough game next too as bruised Australians await them in Chennai. That match will take place on October 20, which gives them almost a week to recover from the loss and prepare well for the next challenge.