After calling Abhishek Sharma a ‘slogger’, Amir predicts India’s T20 World Cup exit

Another Haarna Mana Hai show (cricket show in Pakistan) has ended and once again it has left behind a major talking point. Social media is buzzing after another bold prediction from former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir.

Amir had recently made a brutal assessment of current T20 number one batter Abhishek Sharma, calling him a “slogger”. Now he has gone a step further, saying that India will not make it to the semi finals from the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup on home soil.

Abhishek Sharma, meanwhile, is going through a rough phase. He has registered three consecutive ducks in this tournament and now holds an unwanted record to his name. Despite that, the left hander will be eager to prove his worth as the world’s top ranked T20 batter in the Super 8s and silence the criticism directed at him.

For now, though, Amir appears to have taken the brownie points for his strong statement on Abhishek, especially with the opener struggling for runs. The bigger question now is whether his prediction about India’s exit will also come true.

Speaking on Haarna Mana Hai, Amir was asked to pick two teams from Group A of the Super 8s that he believes will qualify for the semi finals. Without hesitation, he named South Africa and the West Indies, leaving out India.

The prediction surprised many, including the show’s host, as defending champions India have won all four group games and are considered one of the favourites in the tournament.

Explaining his reasoning, Amir questioned the consistency of India’s batting unit.

“Except for the Pakistan match, the Indian batting line up collapsed in every game. The way South Africa and the West Indies are playing, they can beat any team,” Amir said.

India’s Group A also includes Zimbabwe, but only the top two teams will progress to the last four.

India begin their Super 8 campaign against South Africa in Ahmedabad on February 22. They will then face Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26, before taking on the West Indies at Eden Gardens on March 1.

With pressure mounting and criticism growing louder, the Super 8 stage could define not just India’s campaign, but also Abhishek Sharma’s response to his toughest phase yet. Some are saying these are mind-games. Anyway, cricket fans are feasting on Socials.