“Kaun Sochta Hai Ye…”: Wasim Akram Blasts Ex-Pakistan Star Over “Different Ball For India” Remark | Cricket News

Legendary pacer Wasim Akram has indirectly slammed former Pakistan batter Hasan Raza for claiming that India are getting different balls to get more seam and swing than other teams in the ICC World Cup 2023. Raza, during a discussion on ABN News, claimed that the Indian bowlers are getting different balls, and urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to inspect the balls used by the Rohit Sharma-led side. On being asked about the same, Akram gave a detailed answer to bury the controversial debate.

“I’ve been reading about this for the last two days. I want to have the same thing these guys are having, sounds like fun. Mind is not there. You are not only embarrassing yourself but us too. See, it’s a simple thing. The umpire, surrounded by other match officials, goes to the team bowling first with a box that contains 12 balls. The bowler(s) picks two balls as per his preference. He then takes the remaining eight balls to the dressing room of the other team. They follow the same drill. He then hands over the balls to the fourth umpire, and all of this takes place in front of other match officials,” Akram said on A Sports.

Akram hailed the Indian pacers, adding that the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj “might be better” than their peers.

“Kaun sochta hai ye cheezein? (Who thinks like this?). How can a ball swing with a device. The theory is simple, one side is light (rough) one side is heavy (shine). I know the argument is that players from other countries, including ours, haven’t been that affective. However, I also think that the Indian bowlers might have learnt something extra. May be they are better and more effecient right now,” the legendary pacer added.

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq echoed Akram’s sentiments during the same discussion.

“Instead of learning from them (Indian bowlers), we think negatively that something is fishy,” Malik said.

“The seam position is visible on the TV sets when the Indian bowlers bowls to the batters. It is coming out correctly from the hands,” Misbah further pointed out.

India thrashed Sri Lanka by 302 runs on Thursday to become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.