Despite their loss to Australia in the World Cup final, Pakistan’s cricket veterans have expressed admiration for India’s outstanding performance throughout the tournament. In particular, Wasim Akram has acknowledged India’s dominant position in the sport and emphasized that defeats like the one in the final were simply a part of the game.
Akram also highlighted India’s cricket infrastructure, citing their effective programs and depth of talent that sustain Indian cricket. He commented that despite their loss in the final, India had only one bad day, which came at a particularly unfortunate time. Akram praised India’s structure, money for players, well-thought-out programs and backup talent and suggested that they needed to continue doing these things to maintain their position as a dominant force in international cricket.
Rashid Latif agreed with these sentiments and suggested that psychological factors played a role in India’s loss. However, he also praised Mohammed Shami as the standout player for India during the tournament. Lastly, former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq lauded Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their leadership skills and highlighted that younger players must have learned a lot from them during the World Cup.