Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has criticized the Indian cricket team, stating that Indian players who did not participate in the IPL final can no longer use fatigue as an excuse.
Akram pointed out that none of the players selected for India’s T20 World Cup squad were part of the teams that reached the IPL final. Although Rinku Singh, a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders, is included, he has only been selected as a reserve player.
A contingent of the Indian team has already arrived in New York for the World Cup, which will be held in the United States and the West Indies. This group includes head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. Key players like Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya will join them on May 30. Players such as Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have also departed for the World Cup.
Akram’s criticism stems from the Indian team’s performance after the 2021 IPL final, where they immediately traveled to the UAE for the T20 World Cup and were eliminated in the first round. He remarked that it is fortunate for the players participating in the upcoming World Cup that they did not reach the IPL finals. “At least none of them will complain of fatigue now. I was earlier worried that these players might face fatigue if their teams reached the finals of the IPL. But since that didn’t happen, now they won’t have that excuse,” Akram said.
The Indian team will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5. They are placed in Group A and the USA, Canada, and Pakistan teams. India and Pakistan will face each other in the group stage on June 9 in New York. The Indian team has announced a 15-member squad for the World Cup, with Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khalil Ahmed, and Avesh Khan joining as reserves.
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