"We messed up" Mohammed Kaif makes massive allegations on World Cup 2023 final

Australia won the ODI World Cup 2023 final by six wickets.

Former Indian middle-order batter Mohammad Kaif has blamed Indian team management for the loss in the ODI World Cup 2023 against Pat Cummins-led Australia. Kaif made massive allegations that the side missed the trick by making track slow at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium on November 19.

Rohit Sharma’s men had a great run throughout the ODI World Cup 2023 campaign, winning 10 matches on a trot. However, in the grand final, India suffered a heartbreaking defeat against the Australian side on a slow pitch in Ahmedabad. 

The Indian team once again choked with the bat after being sent to bat first by Pat Cummins’s Australia. The Men in Blue just managed to score 240 runs, which the Aussies chased down in 43 overs, owing to a match-winning century by left-handed batter Travis Head (137) and Marnus Labuschagne’s 58*. They Aussies clinched record-extending sixth Men’s ODI World Cup title.

No watering, no grass on the track: Mohammad Kaif comments on ODI World Cup 2023 final pitch

Cricketer-turned-commentator Kaif stated that the Indian management had messed up and were beaten on their own by Australia. “I was there for three days. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid inspected the pitch every day for 3 days ahead of the final. They stood beside the pitch for an hour every day. I saw the pitch change its colour. There was no watering the pitch, no grass on the track. India wanted to give Australia a slow track. This is the truth, even if people don’t want to believe it,” Kaif said to Lallantop in an interaction.

Mohammad Kaif said that India wanted to give a slow pitch because Australia had Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. However, that decision backfired when Cummins elected to field first in the ODI World Cup 2023 final.

“The feeling was that Australia had Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc, so India wanted to give a slow pitch, and that was our mistake. Many people say that curators do their own thing and we don’t influence – that is rubbish. When you are moving around the pitch – you have to say just two lines – please don’t put water, just reduce the grass. This happens. That is truth. And it should be done. You are playing at home. And we did it a little too much,” Kaif added.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.