NEW DELHi: India’s commanding win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final has sparked strong reactions worldwide, especially from neighbours Pakistan. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar controversially said that India’s dominance has “ruined cricket.”India dominated New Zealand in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, winning by 96 runs to claim their third T20 World Cup title. While most cricket experts praised India’s flawless performance, Shoaib Akhtar criticised the team on the Tapmad show Game On Hai, saying India was like a “rich kid” dominating a neighborhood game.
“It’s like when there’s one rich kid in a neighbourhood who calls all the poor kids and says, ‘Come, let’s play cricket.’ That’s exactly what India is doing with us. Out of eight teams, they keep four, and out of those four they call three again and move forward, and then they say, ‘See, I’ve won.’ They have ruined cricket entirely,” Akhtar said.Interestingly, Akhtar had spoken differently before the final. While calling India the favourites, he said he hoped New Zealand would win “for cricket’s sake.”“I feel New Zealand might be bogged down in front of India, but India also have the pressure of 1.5 billion people. They have already lost a match in the World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad. I see India as the winner out of all this, but for cricket’s sake, it’s high time New Zealand won this World Cup,” he had said earlier.Despite his criticism, Akhtar admitted one reason for India’s success. He praised coach Gautam Gambhir for supporting players during tough times, saying that this kind of trust can make a big difference in major tournaments.India made cricket history on Sunday by beating New Zealand by 96 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. They became the first team to defend the Men’s T20 World Cup title, the first to win three T20 World Cups, and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.
