Mohammad Amir Doubles Down: ‘Incomplete’ India Won’t Win T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI – Despite India securing a spot in the T20 World Cup semifinals with a record-breaking chase against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has reignited controversy by predicting the Men in Blue will fall short of the title. Amir, who previously claimed India would miss the knockout stages entirely, stated that the team relies too heavily on individual brilliance rather than collective performance.
Amir: ‘India Not Playing Complete Cricket’
Following India’s five-wicket victory over the West Indies, powered by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97, Amir dismissed the performance as insufficient for a title contender. Speaking to media, he emphasized that India’s bowling attack lacks depth beyond Jasprit Bumrah.
“India complete cricket nahi khel rha (India is not playing complete cricket). India final nahi kehelega (India will not play the final),” Amir asserted.
He further elaborated on his analysis regarding the upcoming semifinal clash against England:
“My semifinal analysis was correct, but Sanju Samson played really good cricket. Still, I feel India is not playing complete cricket yet. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, not a single bowler is in form. Just look at their batting; in almost every match, they keep suffering collapses. The semifinal against England will be a good contest, but I am sure India will not play the final.”
Match Report: Samson Powers Record Chase
India’s path to the semifinals was paved by a historic batting performance in Kolkata. Chasing a formidable target of 196, India overcame an early top-order collapse to seal victory with five wickets in hand.
West Indies Innings: Late Surge Sets 196 Target
After being put into bat, West Indies capitalized on a solid foundation and a violent finish. Openers Roston Chase and Shai Hope established a 68-run stand, though the middle overs saw a dip in momentum thanks to India’s spinners.
- Top Order: Roston Chase (40 off 25), Shai Hope (32 off 33).
- The Collapse: Windies slipped to 119/4 in 14.1 overs despite Shimron Hetmyer’s quick 27.
- The Finish: Jason Holder and Rovman Powell added 76 runs in the final 35 balls.
Bowling Card
| Bowler | Figures | Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2/36 (4.0) | 9.00 |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | 1/40 (4.0) | 10.00 |
| Hardik Pandya | 1/40 (4.0) | 10.00 |
The Turning Point: Samson’s Masterclass
India’s response began poorly, stumbling to 41/2 inside the powerplay. Sanju Samson anchored the innings, first stabilizing the ship with Suryakumar Yadav (18) before launching a counter-attack.
Samson formed three pivotal partnerships to guide the chase:
- 58 runs with Suryakumar Yadav.
- Aggressive stand with Tilak Varma (27 off 15 balls).
- Finishing touches with Hardik Pandya (17) and Shivam Dube (8*).
Statistical Highlights: Records Broken
The victory at Eden Gardens rewrote several T20 World Cup records for Team India.
- Highest Individual Chase Score: Samson’s 97* surpassed Virat Kohli’s 82* (vs Australia, 2016) as the highest score by an Indian in a successful T20 World Cup run-chase.
- Highest Team Chase: The 196-run chase is India’s highest in tournament history, eclipsing the 173 runs chased against South Africa in 2014.
- Semifinal Consistency: India has now equaled the record for most semifinal appearances (6), joining Pakistan and England at the top of the all-time list.
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