ICC World Cup 2019 | Harbhajan Singh criticizes former Pakistani cricketers for remarks shaming India

ICC World Cup 2019 | Harbhajan Singh criticizes former Pakistani cricketers for remarks shaming India

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Harbhajan Singh has lashed out at former Pakistani cricketers Basit Ali and Sikander Bhakt for stating that India will intentionally lose its matches to ensure that Pakistan fails to qualify for the knockout rounds. Harbhajan has made harsh remarks of his own to ridicule their claims.

Basit Ali had said in a TV show on Pakistan channel Ary News that India will lose their final two games against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to limit Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stages. 

"India will never want Pakistan to make it to the semi-finals. They have matches remaining against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Everyone saw the fashion in which they won against Afghanistan," Ali was quoted saying.

He had gone on to accuse India of also trying to lose against Afghanistan before claiming David Warner intentionally underperformed in what he sees as a giant conspiracy against his country.

Another ex-cricketer Sikander Bhakt later supported the claims saying that India will definitely do so as long as they are already qualified for the semifinals themselves by then.

Harbhajan Singh was quick to downplay the ridiculous claims as ‘stupid’ before he made some harsh remarks of his own targeted at the two gentlemen.

"What makes him say that? Is he stupid? I don't know what is he smoking, seriously! He's got to be on a different planet in order for him to talk ill like this. That's probably the way they have played their cricket and that's how they see the game," replied Harbhajan Singh in an interview with India Today.

While Pakistan need to win their last game against Bangladesh at all costs and hope that England lose either of their final two games, all India needs is a solitary point from three games to book its top-four spot.

India will take on England today at Edgbaston and a win for the hosts will see them rise to the fourth spot at Pakistan's expense. 

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