Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has delivered a characteristically blunt assessment of both India’s Abhishek Sharma and the embattled Pakistan cricket setup, defending the “match changer” Indian opener despite a string of three consecutive ducks, while reserving his sharpest criticism for Pakistan’s team management. “Give us one like him.” Despite Abhishek Sharma’s struggles with the bat — the young Indian opener has now notched three consecutive zeroes in the tournament — Basit Ali was sympathetic, even admiring, of the left-hander. “The breaking news for me is that Abhishek scored the third zero,” Basit said on his YouTube channel ‘TheBasitAliShow’. “He has made a record of 0-0-0 — a string of ducks equalling the likes of Saeed Anwar and Atta-ur-Rehman.” But Basit was quick to add context. “He is a match changer. I had a lot of expectations from Abhishek, and I think he is simply waiting for the Super 8 matches.” Basit said a friend reportedly referred to Abhishek as a “slogger,” and he turned it into a compliment. ALSO READ | ‘His strike rate should have been better’: India batter Tilak Varma faces criticism for slow knock in Ahmedabad ”If he is a slogger, then give us one like him — ek humey bhi de do! It is good that we get such players,” he said, drawing a pointed contrast with Pakistan’s own batting woes. “Basit reserved his most pointed remarks for Pakistan’s team management, criticising what he described as selective accountability following the team’s heavy defeat to India.Story continues below this ad With reports swirling that Sahibzada Farhan was under pressure to be dropped ahead of the Namibia match, Basit questioned why only one player was being singled out. “He hit a bad shot against India — what did he do? He hit a bad shot against India. Others have hit very top-class shots,” he said, his sarcasm unmistakable. He then rattled off a list of batters who had, in his view, been equally culpable. “ Didn’t Agha Salman hit a bad shot? Didn’t Babar Azam? Didn’t Usman combust after 44 with a ‘behuda’ shot?? Didn’t Shadab? Didn’t Nawaz?” Basit asked. “When you have a target of 175, you take advantage of the powerplay — and this is the game of Farhan and Saim Ayub.” “A sacrifice goat is being made,” he said bluntly. “It shouldn’t happen.” “Is this Pakistan’s team or Mike Hesson’s team?” Basit also questioned the strategic thinking behind Pakistan’s selections and match-day decisions, taking aim at head coach Mike Hesson.Story continues below this ad ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 schedule: Check full match list, date, venues for all teams “I don’t understand why Abrar Ahmed was not played. I don’t understand whether this is Pakistan’s team or Mike Hesson’s team,” he said pointedly. He also criticised Pakistan’s approach to reading conditions and opposition. “You make the team by looking at the opposing team — which unfortunately Mike Hesson is not doing,” he said, citing the home series against Australia as an example. “Pakistan batted first in all games. After winning two matches, in the last match, you should have bowled first.” The inclusion of five openers in the squad also drew his ire, particularly with Fakhar Zaman yet to feature. “They brought Fakhar Zaman, but till now he has not played a single match. For me, it is painful,” he said. Basit did acknowledge a curious piece of historical trivia doing the rounds among fans, passed along by a friend: that in 1992, 2009, and the Champions Trophy, Australia were eliminated in the early rounds — and Pakistan went on to win each of those tournaments. “So he was saying — it’s a signal for Pakistan!” Basit relayed. But he was clear-eyed about the scale of the challenge. “India has beaten you like a child. Their skill level, their awareness, their temperament — they are way ahead of us. Way ahead. There is no doubt about it.” “But the team has to improve,” he added. “What are they are doing make cricket better? There are a lot of questions.”
Basit Ali: ‘Give us a slogger like Abhishek Sharma’ — But Pakistan? ‘India beat you like a child’
