After India's ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final defeat to New Zealand, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has said that fans should give their opinions but should not be judgmental.
In a rain-affected match at Old Trafford, Manchester which needed two days to complete, India lost by 18 runs despite a brilliant fightback from MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
Akhtar reserved special praise for the duo while giving a detailed analysis of the match. He believed that it was a great fightback from India.
Watch it here:
Jadeja (77) and Dhoni (50) shared a 116-run stand for the seventh wicket. However, it proved too little too late, especially after Dhoni was caught short of crease by a brilliant direct hit by Martin Guptill.
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"So close, yet so far for India. It was a brilliant fightback from the lower order after the top-order batsmen gave away their wickets on ordinary deliveries," Akhtar said in a video posted on his Youtube channel.
"It was a poor batting performance by the top five players. Rohit (Sharma) got a brilliant ball. However, I think Virat Kohli was unlucky as it was a poor decision to give him out. The ball was just clipping the bails and he was given out by the on-field umpire.
"The other batsmen also did not show much intent until Jadeja came in and played superbly. And so was Dhoni who kept India in the hunt."
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"It was unfortunate that Jadeja got out to a ball that he could have hit for a six. And had Dhoni dived, who knows, he wouldn't have got run-out and would have taken India across the finishing line," he added.
He also termed 37-year-old Dhoni as legend. "Dhoni is an absolute legend. He is a great ambassador for the game. Till the time he was there, it looked like he would win the game for India. However, he was unfortunate and couldn't take India to the finals."
"Indian fans should be proud of the way their team played in the World Cup," he added.
New Zealand will play England in Sunday's final at Lord's, London.
With IANS inputs
