NEW DELHI: Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar continues to slam Pakistan for producing an insipid performance against India in the ODI World Cup on Saturday and went on to admit that India 'beat' Pakistan like kids.
India bundled out Pakistan for a paltry 191 and then, riding on Rohit's brutal fifty, registered a seven-wicket win with nearly 20 overs to spare in Ahmedabad.
The former Pakistan speedster had special praise for Rohit, who made it a one-way traffic with his batting at the top of the order.
"Disappointing performance, a very disappointing performance. India completely hammered Pakistan. Rohit Sharma was a one-man army...He is a very big player and has a wide range of shots. He is a complete batter, a complete team (man)...Good to see you back, Rohit Sharma," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
"The kind of innings Rohit played, he humiliated Pakistan's bowling attack. He took revenge for the last two years when he didn't get many runs," Akhtar added.
"Pakistan's humiliation is in front of us. India ne bachon ki tarah maara (India beat Pakistan like kids). I couldn't watch it."
It has been a decade since India won an ICC trophy, with their last triumph being the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
The last time the 'Men in Blue' clinched the ODI World Cup in 2011 under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it was co-hosted by India; and the 50-over showpiece has returned to the Indian soil after 12 years.
1/10:ODI World Cup: India vs Pakistan numbers and stats
PTI
2/10:8-0
<p>With a crushing 7-wicket in Ahmedabad on Saturday, India extended their all-win record to 8 in ODI World Cup matches against Pakistan. </p>PTI
3/10:Kuldeep Yadav
<p>Kuldeep Yadav became the leading left-arm wrist-spinner in ODIs by taking 157 wickets in 93 matches, bettering the 156 wickets in 123 matches by Australia's Brad Hogg. </p>AFP
4/10:Ravindra Jadeja
<p>With Haris Rauf's dismissal, Ravindra Jadeja became the sixth Indian bowler (and the first left-arm bowler) to complete 100 wickets or more in ODIs on Indian soil. </p>AP
5/10:Jasprit Bumrah
<p>Jasprit Bumrah registered an impressive economy rate of 2.71 while claiming two wickets for 19 runs off seven overs — his second best in the World Cup. </p>PTI
6/10:17.84
<p>Bumrah's World Cup average of 17.84 while taking 26 wickets in 12 matches is the fourth best (25 wickets minimum) behind Mitchell Starc (15.57), Mohammed Shami (15.70) and Shane Bond (17.26). PTI</p>PTI
7/10:Rohit Sharma
<p>Rohit Sharma completed 1195 run-aggregate at an average of 66.38 in 20 innings, overtaking Virat Kohli's tally of 1186 (ave 49.41) in 29 innings. </p>PTI
8/10:300 sixes
<p>Rohit Sharma became the third batsman after Shahid Afridi (351) and Chris Gayle (331) to hit 300 sixes in ODI career. </p>AFP
9/10:Babar Azam
<p>Babar Azam recorded his first half-century vs India in ODIs joining Aamer Sohail and Misbah-ul-Haq as the third Pakistan captain to hit a 50 vs India in the World Cup. </p>PTI
10/10:36/8
<p>Pakistan lost 8 wickets for 36 runs in 13 overs — between the 30th and the 43rd overs. </p>PTIAkhtar feels that history once again awaits the Rohit-led team.
"I am beginning to believe India is about to repeat that history of the 2011 World Cup. If they don't mess up in the semi-finals, India is really there to win this World Cup. So well done, India. You have done wonderfully well. You destroyed us, demoralised us, and decimated us," Akhtar said.
India will now take on Bangladesh on October 19 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, while Pakistan will face Australia on October 20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
