Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur expressed his disappointment with the crowd dynamics during the ICC World Cup 2023 match against India at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
He noted that the game felt more like a home event for India, as the Men in Green played in front of a predominantly Indian crowd at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, with limited representation of Pakistani fans.
Arthur voiced his opinion that the atmosphere didn't reflect the grandeur of an ICC event, describing it as more akin to a bilateral series or a BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) event.
Despite this, he emphasised that he wouldn't use this as an excuse for the team's performance.
Acknowledging Pakistan's subdued performance, Arthur admitted that they played cautiously after a promising start with the bat. He stated, "I think we were timid with our overall performance today. I would've liked us to take the game on a bit more. It's a massive occasion, but we went into our shells a little bit. To go from 155/2 to 191 all out is just not on."
Arthur also commended the Indian team for their performance, highlighting their strong leadership and well-rounded lineup.
He described the Indian team as "a very good cricket team" under the captaincy of and Rohit Sharma.
Despite the loss, Arthur emphasised that there is no need to panic, especially since Pakistan had won its last two games. He affirmed that they would maintain their focus and patience as they navigate the remaining matches in the long World Cup tournament.
