Inzamam-ul-Haq Vs Sunil Gavaskar: Ex-Pak Captain Says Little Master 'Fled Sharjah To Escape Playing Pakistan'

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq criticised Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar for his recent comments during the Champions Trophy 2025. Gavaskar suggested that even India's second-tier team could challenge Pakistan. This remark followed India's dominant victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy last month. Gavaskar stated, "I think a B team (from India) certainly (can give Pakistan a run for their money). C team, I am not too sure. But a B team will be very, very hard to beat for Pakistan in their current form."

Inzamam strongly disagreed with Gavaskar's statement, recalling an incident where Gavaskar allegedly avoided playing against Pakistan during his career. Inzamam remarked, "India won the match, they played well but Mr. Gavaskar should also take a look at stats. He once fled Sharjah to escape from playing against Pakistan. He is older than us; he is our senior. We greatly respect him, but you should not speak about a country like that."

Gavaskar's Comments Stir Controversy

Inzamam believes that Gavaskar's remarks are damaging his own reputation. He urged Gavaskar to consider historical statistics before making such claims. "Tell him to look at stats, and he'll know where Pakistan is," Inzamam said. He expressed disappointment over the comments and advised Gavaskar to be more cautious with his words.

Historically, Pakistan leads India 73-58 in one-day international matches. However, recent performances have seen a decline in Pakistan's cricketing success, as evidenced by their fifth-place finishes in the last two ODI World Cups.

Analysis of Pakistan's Recent Performance

Gavaskar also commented on the reasons behind Pakistan's recent struggles in international cricket. He highlighted the lack of bench strength despite the country's natural talent pool. "I think it's surprising-this lack of bench strength," he noted.

He further elaborated on this by mentioning players like Inzamam-ul-Haq who had unique styles but compensated with strong temperament and instinctive skills. "Look at Inzamam-ul-Haq, for example," said Gavaskar.

The Current State of India-Pakistan Rivalry

The rivalry between India and Pakistan has been described as one-sided by former England captain Michael Atherton. This perspective aligns with recent results where India has often outperformed its neighbour.

The ongoing debate reflects broader discussions about the evolving dynamics between these two cricketing nations and their respective strengths and weaknesses on the field.