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Former Indian cricketer Nikhil Chopra said that Pakistan should accept their defeat against India in the World Cup as they lost fair and square.
The Men in Blue secured a 7-wicket victory in the world's biggest stadium - the Narendra Modi Stadium last Saturday, October14.
Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur was dissatisfied and questioned the one-sided nature of the fan base. Arthur didn't hold back his disappointment and said in the post-match press conference, "Look, I'd be lying if I said it did. It didn't seem like an ICC event to be brutally honest. It seemed like a bilateral series; it seemed like a BCCI event. I didn't hear Dil Dil Pakistan coming through the microphones too often tonight."
‘We played better’
Nikhil said that Pakistan should take the defeat on the chin just like India did when they lost to Pakistan by 10 wickets in the T20I World Cup in Dubai in 2021.
"If you have lost the game fair and square then accept it and take it on the chin rather than cribbing about it. The other team played better. Last World Cup we took it on the chin. We got beaten in Dubai by 10 wickets because they played better. This time we played far better.
“Ours was a much more clinical performance than Team India and we beat Pakistan fair and square. So, it is a bit unfortunate that you start going and complaining because of the crowd noise the team is cribbing. I mean with 100,000 people if you are listening to them then you are not concentrating on the ground," Nikhil told ANI.
While talking about the Indian team he praised players for their form and called out explosive batter Suryakumar Yadav as X-Factor.
‘Everybody is in top notch form’
"Without a doubt the way everybody is in top-notch form. The other day we were discussing that somebody like Surya Kumar Yadav the X Factor that he is, is not a part of playing eleven as everybody is getting runs. Mohammed Shami is sitting out. Can you imagine. A star bowler like that is a match-winner. Fingers crossed we will be able to repeat 2011," Nikhil added.
On the other hand, former cricketer Robin Singh that India's chances in the World Cup and told ANI, "It is a long way to go in the World Cup. I think they have to make sure that they play a steady game consistently throughout the tournament and we should be there."