New Delhi [India], September 13 : Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar slammed fans who raised accusations on the Indian team for fixing the game against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Super Four game.
India earned a hard-fought victory on a surface where spinners from both teams made their mark on the game.
Shoaib stated that many fans called him after the match that India had 'fixed the game' and were trying to lose the match deliberately. However, Akhtar hit back at the fans and said on his youtube channel, "I don't know what you guys are doing. I am getting memes and messages saying 'India have fixed the game', that they are losing deliberately in order to eliminate Pakistan. Are you alright? They (Sri Lanka) are bowling their heart out. Wellalalge and Asalanka bowled their heart out. You saw that 20-year-old kid? He scored 43 runs and took 5 wickets. I am getting phonecalls from India and other countries, saying India were losing deliberately."
Akhtar further went on to point out why India would have deliberately wanted to lose the game when a chance to seal a spot for the Asia Cup final was right in their hands.
"Why would they lose, tell me? They want to go through to the final. You end up making memes without any reason. It was a great fightback from India. The way Kuldeep played, it was massive. Look at Jasprit Bumrah, look at the fight while defending a small total," Akhtar added.
Coming to the much debated match, India's bowling attack combined to end Sri Lanka's 13 ODI match unbeaten streak and seal their spot in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 with a game to spare, as the hosts were bundled out for 172 chasing a paltry target at the R Premadasa Stadium.
While spinners from either side dominated the game, the pacers, too, played a part in India's 41-run victory over the co-hosts.
Earlier in the game, Belligerent Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka sliced through India's top order to help Sri Lanka bundle out Men in Blue for 213.
Youngster Wellalage achieved a remarkable feat as he secured his maiden 5-wicket haul, single-handedly dismantling a formidable Indian batting lineup and bagging the wicket of top batters like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya.
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