Former Pakistan cricket team all-rounder Abdul Razzaq took aim at the Indian cricket team following their loss in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia and he said that India's defeat meant that 'cricket won'. In a recent interaction, he was asked about the World Cup final and he went on to accuse India of using home conditions to their advantage and said that a win for India over Australia would have been 'a sad moment for cricket'. Razzaq earlier courted controversy for his comment about the Pakistan team which contained a reference to Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai. The former cricketer faced a lot of heat for his comment and later, he tendered an official apology for his comment.
“Agar sahi baat kare toh aaj cricket jeeti hai. Aap conditions ko apni taraf utilise karke, ye kabhi bhi nahi aisa hota. Agar aaj India jeet jaati toh fir cricket jo hai naa vo India ki taraf ho jaati. Cricket ne bataya ki mai vo cricket hu jo brave hote hai, jo strong hote hai mentally, effort krte hai, jaan maarte hai, mai unke saath hu. Khushi iss cheej ki hai aaj ki agar India jeet jaati na to hume bahut jyada afsos hota iss sense mei ki vo conditions ko utilise kar rahi thi. Kuch na kuch toh hai conditions mei. Bilkul fair pitches honi chahiye, bilkul fair atmosphere hona chahiye, ki dono teams ke liye balance hona chahiye. Aaj bhi India ne advantage liya, agar Kohli 100 kar jaate toh India ye World Cup jeet jaati (If I am being honest, cricket won. They were using the conditions to their advantage. Had India won the World Cup, it would have been a sad moment for cricket. Cricket made it clear that it helps the team who are brave and mentally strong. If India would have won, I would have felt very bad. The pitches should be fair, the atmosphere should fair and there should be balance for both teams. India tried to take advantage even in the final and if Kohli scored another century, India would have once again won the match," Razzaq said on Pakistani TV show 'Hasna Mana Hai'.
India were all out for 240 despite fifties from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul as the Australian pacers showed great discipline in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final. In response, Travis Head slammed a brilliant century as the Aussies won the match by six wickets to claim a record-extending sixth World Cup title.