Basit Ali Breaks Down On Live TV After Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Loss to India
Pakistan are on the brink of elimination after two consecutive defeats in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali broke down in tears following his national team’s narrow defeat to arch-rivals India in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pakistan fell short by just 6 runs while chasing a modest target of 120 in their crucial group-stage match at the Nassau County Stadium in New York.
This loss, following their opening defeat to the USA in a Super Over thriller, has put Pakistan’s qualification for the Super 8 stage in jeopardy.
Their fate now rests on their remaining matches against Canada and Ireland, along with favourable results from other teams. They currently stand at the bottom of the Group A points table.
Appearing on a Pakistani news channel, Basit Ali became visibly emotional while expressing his disappointment. He specifically targeted Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Afridi – players he claims to have identified and promoted during their U-19 days.
“They [current Pakistani team] think we are traitors because we attend cricket shows and talk about Pakistan cricket,” Basit Ali said, his voice thick with emotion.
“I was a Pakistani, I am a Pakistani, and I will forever be a Pakistani,” Basit Ali added. He then launched into a scathing attack on the young players’ performances.
“It hurts to see them play so poorly. When we talk about the team’s performance, they brand us traitors. These were just kids when I picked them for the U-19s – Shaheen, Shadab, Babar, whoever. And this is how they repay us? This is painful. They don’t care about the country,” Basit Ali lamented.
Watch Basit Ali break down in Tears on National TV:
Pakistan will face Canada in their next encounter on Tuesday, June 11.
