Despite losing in the final to Australia, Pakistan’s cricket veterans have expressed admiration for India’s outstanding performance in the World Cup. Wasim Akram has acknowledged India’s dominant position in the sport, noting that defeats like the one in the final were just a part of the game.
Akram highlighted India’s cricket infrastructure, citing the effective programs and depth of talent that sustains Indian cricket. He commented on how “You look at their structure, the money for players, the well-thought-out programs and backup talent and they really just need to continue doing these things.”
Rashid Latif agreed with these sentiments and suggested that India’s capabilities were on par with Australia’s, attributing their loss to psychological factors. Latif also praised Mohammed Shami as the standout player for India in the tournament.
Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq lauded Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their leadership skills during the World Cup. He also emphasized that younger players must have learned a lot from them during this tournament.