Kamal Ghorui
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has delivered a sharp response to ex-Pakistan quick Mohammad Amir after the latter continued to cast doubts over India’s campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup.Amir had initially predicted that India would stumble against the West Indies and miss out on a semifinal berth. When that forecast failed to materialise, he shifted his stance, backing England to halt India’s charge and claiming that Suryakumar Yadav’s team would not reach the final. He also referred to struggling opener Abhishek Sharma as a “slogger”, a remark that has drawn criticism from Indian supporters.Kaif, speaking on his YouTube channel, accused Amir of making inflammatory comments purely to generate publicity, insisting that India need not dignify such remarks with a response.“Did Amir really not know that India would reach the semifinals? He also knew it, that the defending champions will make it. But because it will become news, they do all these things. We must not give them importance. There is no need for us to come down to their level and reply,” he said.The former India cricketer then took aim at Amir by referencing Pakistan’s surprising defeat to the USA at the 2024 T20 World Cup. He questioned the pacer’s performance in the decisive Super Over, suggesting that Amir was in no position to criticise others.“The loss that they faced against the USA in 2024, it was the same bowler who was the reason. In that over, there was only one boundary, but too many wides. His ball did not even land on the stumps. Who got scared against that USA team and made his team lose the game, then I do not have to say more,” he remarked.Kaif continued by urging India to ignore the outside noise, arguing that engaging with Amir would only amplify his comments and hand him the attention he seeks.“Why are we focusing on him? The country that is so behind in the sport, they have no players, no solid captain, or a solid bowler, nothing. Just let them be. We don’t have to talk about everything they talk. They cannot come to our level. They have different problems. If we focus on their comments, it is like we are giving them importance, and that is what they want anyway,” he added.
