Dhoni an Absolute Legend, Virat Wicket Unlucky: Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar has praised the Indian team after their 2019 ICC World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand.
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has said praised MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja for their fightback in the 2019 ICC World Cup semi-final against New Zealand on Thursday.
Chasing 240, Indian batters were undone by Matt Henry's brilliant opening spell as he returned with figures of 3/37.
Jadeja (77) and Dhoni (50) shared a 116-run stand for the seventh wicket. However, in the end that proved to be not enough, especially after Dhoni was caught short of crease by a brilliant direct hit by Martin Guptill.
"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."
"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.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)