India and West Indies are facing each other in a virtual quarterfinal at the Eden Gardens.
India and West Indies are currently locking horns in a do-or-die Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Ahead of the virtual quarterfinal, former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq praised India's scientific cricket ecosystem and Caribbean team’s power-hitting legacy.
However, Saqlain questioned ICC's integrity, hinting at foul play in the pitch preparation to help India gain advantage.
“One thing is how the pitch is prepared now. ICC… Indian Cricket Council. ICC is not some other council. Let’s see what kind of pitch they prepare for this game,” Saqlain said while speaking on Tapmad, suggesting that surface conditions could influence how the match unfolds.
He also emphasized the competitive value of local knowledge, saying, “Even in this, you can get a margin of 10 to 15 percent if the conditions suit your team. Because when you know the conditions well, you can compete better.”
Here’s the video:
On Saturday (February 28), Saqlain Mushtaq’s national team crashed out of the T20 World Cup with a consolation win over Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Invited to bat first, Pakistan posted a formidable 212/8 in 20 overs, thanks to Sahibzada Farhan’s century (100 off 60 balls) and Fakhar Zaman’s 42-ball 84. However, they failed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or fewer.
As a result, the Salman Ali Agha-led side was unable to overtake New Zealand on Net Run Rate and got eliminated from the semifinal race.