Shoaib Akhtar makes bold claims about India's World Cup win in 2011

The Indian World Cup win in 2011 remains fresh in the minds of billions to this very day. Having won the coveted trophy after 28 years, the celebrations that followed were akin to a festival. For some, however, India's win was equally disheartening.

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One such player is Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistan fast bowler who remains in a constant state of torment due to the Semi-Final loss against India. He said that the memory still haunts him and things would have been very different had he played the game against India.

Speaking of the same with Sportskeeda the Rawalpindi Express said, “Mohali memory haunts me…that 2011 World Cup semi-final. They should have played me, they should have. It was completely unfair to the team management. I knew that I had just two matches left, and I had this desire that at Wankhede the Pakistan flag is held high and the team is playing the final. I knew that India was under immense pressure. The entire nation and the media were looking up to the team, which means we were the underdogs. So I believed that we shouldn’t have taken the pressure."

The 46-year-old vouched for a different result altogether had he been given the chance to play the Semi-Final. He reiterated, “I would have dismissed Sachin and Sehwag. India would have collapsed if Sachin and Sehwag were dismissed early. I was really really hurt. To see that match for 5-6 hours and watch Pakistan lose from the dugout.

I am not the kind of person who cries but I’m the kind of person who breaks things. And I did break a few things in the dressing room because I was so sad, disappointed, and furious, and so was the entire nation,” Shoaib Akhtar added.

Currently, there are no bilateral games between India and Pakistan. Both these great cricketing nations only play against each other in World Tournaments. Thus, they are scheduled to face each other in the upcoming 20-20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.