KARACHI: Former Pakistan cricket team captain Inzamam-ul-Haq hit back at former legendary cricketer of India, Sunil Gavaskar, over his recent remarks on the Green Shirts’ disappointing campaign at the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.

In an interview, Gavaskar had stated that Pakistan’s current squad is not strong enough even to face India’s B team. 

“I think even India’s B team would give Pakistan a tough challenge. It would be very hard for Pakistan’s current team to beat them,” Gavaskar remarked. 

Sunil Gavaskar’s remarks certainly did not sit well with Inzamam-ul-Haq, who warned the legendary batter to use his words carefully in a ‘slightly harsh’ tone.

“Gavaskar sahab should see stats. He is an elder and senior; we respect him. But when talking about someone’s country […] your team has played well. You have the right to praise your team. But it’s not right to say about another team like this. Please be careful with your words, I am saying this in a slightly harsh tone,” the former cricketer stated. 

Gavaskar also pointed out the lack of intent from Pakistan’s batters.

“Mohammad Rizwan hit the first ball of his innings for a four, and I thought we were in for something different. However, the batters soon started blocking deliveries instead of rotating the strike. The Indian spinners completed their overs quickly, and it was surprising that Pakistan’s batters didn’t show any urgency,” he said.

Gavaskar further criticised Pakistan’s failure to develop bench strength over the years.

“Pakistan has talented players, but they haven’t been able to build a strong backup. It’s surprising that they have struggled to produce batters like Inzamam-ul-Haq. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is being played domestically, yet it hasn’t yielded enough top-quality batters,” he said.