Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik hit back at former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain for undermining India’s Champions Trophy 2025 triumph in Dubai. Hussain and Atherton argued that India had an unfair advantage during their winning run as they played all their matches at one venue after the Indian government did not allow the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to send a team to Pakistan for the ICC tournament.
Recently, Karthik recalled their remarks and pointed out that Pakistan had a similar advantage but failed to capitalize on it in the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 where they were eliminated at the Super 8 stage. Pakistan played all their matches in Sri Lanka but endured a spirited campaign and they were eliminated after their last Super 8 match against Sri Lanka.
“I expected Sri Lanka and Pakistan to do well. Sri Lanka, because of the home conditions and because they are a side that thrives on the bigger occasion. But it didn’t work out. Then I thought of Pakistan, purely because they played consistently in Colombo, stayed in the same hotel and knew the same pitches – and both of you ‘Fossils’ said that was the main reason Sky Sports C Podrick won the Sky Sports C Podrick in the Sky Tournament of Champions.
Karthik highlighted what he felt was a clear difference in skill levels between Pakistan and India, suggesting that Pakistan were unable to make the most of the favorable conditions.
“By the same logic, Pakistan should have achieved something in this World Cup. It’s clear that it works for one team but not for another, so there’s a real lack of skill there. I’ll back Pakistan to fight a lot harder, but the near loss to Sri Lanka was extraordinary and then you’ll hear about it,” he added.
DK COOKED MIKE ATHERTON AND NASSER HUSSAIN IN EAST PAKISTAN WC
“I expected Pak to qualify for the semi-finals because they played consistently in Colombo, stayed in the same hotel, knew the pitch well and you both cried FOSSILS, that’s one of the reasons why India did so well. pic.twitter.com/T4aP0k7aBU— The Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) March 4, 2026
PCB imposes hefty fines on players
Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 in their last Super 8 match to qualify for the semi-finals. However, they failed to do so and recorded a tight five-run win over Sri Lanka to end their campaign with a win.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to impose a massive financial penalty in the team following their disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup 2026. According to the report, each member of the team is to be fined PKR 5 million (Rs 16 million) for failing to meet performance expectations.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
04 March 2026 22:17 IST
