Amir slams Kaif: Be thankful to Sourav Ganguly, you played only because of fielding
India Today
T20 World Cup: Mohammad Amir slammed Mohammad Kaif, saying he has far more experience in T20 cricket than Kaif. Amir also added that Kaif should be grateful to Sourav Ganguly for giving him opportunities to play for India largely because of his fielding abilities.
Mohammad Amir has hit back at Mohammad Kaif over the latter’s remarks that the former Pakistan fast bowler criticises India merely to gain attention and stay in the news. The exchange began after Amir labelled Abhishek Sharma a slogger and predicted that India would not reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026.
However, Amir’s prediction proved incorrect as India progressed to the final, where they will face Mitchell Santner's New Zealand on Sunday, March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Kaif later said there was no need to pay attention to Amir’s views on India or cricket, suggesting they did not stem from genuine analysis. Responding to those comments, Amir asserted that he has far more experience than Kaif in T20 cricket and said that he does not speak about India merely to gain attention.
“I don't know about his cricketing career, how much he's played. I checked his stats; he just played 29 matches in the IPL. He has a strike rate of 103 (103.60). He said that I was speaking about India to gain some attention. Firstly, I don't need to get attention by speaking about India. Mr. Kaif, I have played 350 T20s, you can check my stats,” Amir said on his YouTube channel.
Amir also took a dig at Kaif, saying that unlike the former India cricketer, he did not play international cricket because of his fielding but because of his performances with the ball. Amir added that Kaif made his place in the Indian side primarily due to his fielding and should be grateful to Sourav Ganguly for the opportunities he received during his career.
“Moreover, main bass fielding pe cricket nahi khela (I didn't play cricket just due to my fielding). I have played after giving performances. Aap Dada ko thank you bole (You should be thankful to Dada).
IPL 2026: Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa believes young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi will face a tougher challenge in IPL 2026. The 14-year-old prodigy impressed last season, but Uthappa expects bowlers to test him more this year.
Anil Kumble believes Kolkata Knight Riders weakened their own title-winning core by releasing Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt after their 2024 triumph. The former India captain criticised the franchise's inconsistent retention strategy.
Rohit Sharma believes India's recent success in ICC tournaments could be the start of a strong phase for the national teams. The India captain praised both men's and women's teams and hopes the winning run continues.
Suryakumar Yadav revealed how a phone call and a little faith helped Ishan Kishan stage a sensational comeback, earning him a spot in India's Men's T20 World Cup squad. Kishan capitalised on the opportunity, scoring 317 runs in nine matches.
Indian cricketer Kuldeep Yadav married his childhood friend, Vanshika Singh, on March 14 in a grand ceremony held in Mussoorie. The celebrations were even more special for Kuldeep, coming shortly after India's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.
AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan says the federation replaced the Indian women's team's ill-fitting AFC Women's Asian Cup kits within seven hours, but the effort went unrecognised.
Pakistan national selector Aaqib Javed believes that the country and the country's cricket board need to move on from scapegoating culture to move forward in international cricket.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi, Abhishek Sharma revealed how his father and family helped him overcome a difficult T20 World Cup campaign, during which he battled poor form before scoring a match-winning 18-ball fifty in the final against New Zealand.
Kevin Pietersen has stepped down as Delhi Capitals mentor ahead of IPL 2026, saying he could not commit the time required, though he confirmed he will return to the commentary box during the tournament.
The PCB has denied reports that Pakistan players were fined PKR 5 million each for their T20 World Cup exit, with spokesperson Amir Mir clarifying that no penalties have been imposed, though the board is considering a performance-based accountability formula.
Salman Ali Agha has been given a reprimand and a demerit point following his outburst after the controversial run out during the second ODI against Bangladesh on Friday, March 13.