Recently, Mohammad Haris, the captain of Pakistan A, made a statement that has sparked some controversy among Indian cricketers and fans. Haris led his team to a magnificent victory over India A in the final of the Emerging Asia Cup 2023, earning praise from Pakistani fans. However, critics claimed that the match was more like a face-off between Pakistan’s ‘senior players’ and India’s ‘young brigade.’
Pakistan’s team consisted of several players with international cricket experience, including their captain, Mohammad Haris. Others such as Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Saim Ayub had some exposure to international matches. On the contrary, India A’s squad was comprised mostly of young and relatively inexperienced players, led by the 20-year-old Yash Dhull.
In response to the criticism, Haris rejected the notion that Pakistan had an unfair advantage due to the experience of their players. He dismissed the claims, stating that even the players with international experience in the Pakistan side had only played a few matches, and those were primarily T20Is. During a podcast, Haris indirectly referred to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and clarified that Pakistan never demanded that India send their “little kids” to the tournament.
“(Jis tarah log keh rahe hai ki woh bade leke aaye the, ham chote bachey the toh hamne toh nahi kaha tha ki aap chotey bache leke aao. Ye kehte hai ki aapka international experience tha. International experience kitna hai. Saim ke 5 matche hai, mere 6 match hai. Saare T20 hai. Inke team pe IPL ke 260 matches ka experience hai).”
Haris expressed his frustration, emphasizing that the number of international matches played by the Pakistan players with experience was limited. For instance, Saim had played only five matches, while Haris himself had played six, all of which were T20Is. He then compared this with the Indian players who had a combined experience of 260 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Also, see:
Pakistan beat India in Emerging Asia Cup 2023 final by massive margin
