ISLAMABAD: Following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Pakistani cricket legend Wasim Akram couldn’t resist poking fun at the Indian T20I World Cup squad, saying that they won’t be able to use fatigue as an excuse during the upcoming tournament.
Wasim Akram’s remarks came after the IPL final between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which notably did not feature any Indian player set to participate in the T20I World Cup, except for Rinku Singh, who is going as a traveling reserve.
Speaking to Sportskeeda Cricket, Wasim Akram quipped, “At least this time, Indian players will not make an excuse of being tired during the mega event.”
He went on to playfully comment on the absence of Indian players in the IPL final and said that they may have been saving their energy for the T20I World Cup. He humorously remarked, “They were thinking ahead, what is the point of reaching the final, India is more important, we will play with the country.”
Acknowledging concerns about fatigue among the Indian players due to the IPL’s hectic schedule, Wasim Akram expressed optimism that they would recover in time for the T20I World Cup. He emphasized the importance of fitness levels in modern cricket and suggested that the change of scenery, with matches scheduled in the United States and West Indies, could benefit the Indian team.
Notably, the first batch of Indian players, including captain Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and others, departed for the USA on Saturday evening in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Indian squad is set to compete in the tournament, which kicks off on June 1, with matches scheduled in various venues across the United States and the West Indies.
Indian Squad for T20I World Cup
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.
