Inzamam-ul-Haq had stirred up some controversy when he raised his doubts over how India, especially left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh managed to make the ball reverse-swing in the 16th over of Australia’s innings during their Super 8 match of 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, and now the former Pakistan captain has hit back at India skipper Rohit Sharma telling him to stay off his business when it comes to reverse swing.
Responding to questions from a journalist on Inzamam’s allegations, Rohit dismissed the claims outrightly saying that, “What will I say about this? It is so hot; you are playing and that ground is too dry.
Automatically it reverses. It happens for everybody not only our team. All teams are reversing. Sometimes its good to understand what we play under.”
“It’s important to know where you’re playing. This is not England or Australia.”
To which Inzamam replied with a warning almost suggesting Rohit should not teach Pakistan how to bowl in particular the art of reverse-swing.
Speaking on Pakistani television on Monday, Inzamam retorted Rohit’s advice for players “to open your mind” by saying: “We will definitely open our minds,” added Inzaman who was replying to questions put forward by Dr. Nauman Niaz on Pakistan news channel PTV News.
“First thing is that he (Rohit) has admitted that it’s happening. So it means what we observed is correct. Second thing, Rohit Sharma ko humein batane ki zarurat nahi padni chahiye ke reverse swing kis tarah hota hai, kitni dhoop mei hota hai, kis pitch pe hota hai. Jo sikhane wale hain unko nahi yeh cheez sikhaya karte (there is no need for Rohit to tell us how reverse swing happens, under how much sun, on what pitch; you don’t teach something to someone who actually taught it to the world),” Inzamam said.
“Do not say such things.”
Inzamam clarified that he never said the Indian team was tampering with the ball. He just wanted to inform the umpires.
“The reporter asked a wrong question. I gave a suggestion (to the umpires) that keep your eyes open because from 15th over ball is going into reverse swing. Even today my advice to our umpires is still the same, ‘keep your eyes open and also keep your mind open’; we just discussed of human thinking but I am telling you about both human thinking and sight,” Inzamam told Sports Tak.
On the other hand India defeated England by 68 runs in the second semifinal match of T20 World Cup at Adelaide Oval on Friday after which they booked their spot in Sunday’s final against South Africa who had earlier eased past Afghanistan by nine wickets booking their place in a first ever ICC World Cup final.
