After the excerpts got limelight from Ben Stokes’ book, on Fire, they were totally misunderstood. People thought Ben Stokes wrote that India wrote deliberately to England to eliminate Pakistan from the tournament and Pakistani cricketers now have started supporting it. First Sikander Bakht, and then Mushtaq Ahmed, and Abdul Razzaq has come forward with a similar view.
Mushtaq Ahmed, the former Pakistani player, has claimed that the West Indies players, Jason Holder, Andre Russell, and Chris Gayle, disclosed to him how India did not want Pakistan to qualify for the semifinals of the ICC World Cup 2019.
Mushtaq Ahmed claims West Indies players told him India didn’t want Pakistan to qualify for ICC World Cup 2019
Mushtaq was working as the Assistant coach of the team from the Caribbean in the World Cup. “I was working with the West Indies squad at last year’s World Cup. After India’s loss to England, Jason Holder, Chris Gayle and Andre Russell said to me, Mushy, India didn’t want to see Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals,” he said according to Pak Passion editor Saj Sadiq.
Mushtaq Ahmed "I was working with the West Indies squad at last year's World Cup. After India's loss to England, Jason Holder, Chris Gayle and Andre Russell said to me, Mushy, India didn't want to see Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals" #Cricket #CWC19 #ENGvIND
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) May 30, 2020
However, earlier, Abdul Razzaq opined the same and mentioned MS Dhoni could have gone for fours and sixes but chose to block the ways for India to win.
“Ismein shaq ki baat hi koi nahi. Humne uss waqt hi bola tha. Saare log keh rahe hain, jitne cricketers hain sab keh rahe. Ek aadmi chakka maar sakta hai, chauka maar sakta hai lekin phir bhi woh rokh raha hai…Toh pata toh chal jaata hai na.” Abdul Razzaq told ARY Sports, clearly pointing out at MS Dhoni, who played a knock of 42 runs from 31 balls in that match.
There is no doubt in this. I had told this at that time as well. In fact, everyone else opined the same. For a person who can hit fours and sixes at will, he was blocking everything…Hence, one tends to know”. Translated.
