Mohammad Amir’s bold predictions about India’s T20 World Cup campaign have fallen flat once again. The Pakistan pacer, however, pointed to a crucial dropped catch by England as the turning point in their semi-final defeat.
Earlier in the tournament, Amir had repeatedly claimed on Pakistan’s TV show Harna Mana Hai that India would not make it past the Super 8s. He had backed South Africa and West Indies to progress instead and later predicted India would not reach the final.
India, however, defied these forecasts. A superb innings from Sanju Samson helped India beat West Indies in their final Super 8 match, securing a semi-final berth. The team then went on to battle England in a thrilling semi-final, advancing to a consecutive final despite Amir’s warnings.
Amir, 33, reflected on the semi-final, insisting the difference came down to England failing to hold a key catch.
“I talk cricket. India played exceptionally well and delivered a complete performance. Credit where it’s due,” he said.
“My prediction was sound, but if a catch is dropped, what can you do? Batsmen in form punish such lapses, and that’s exactly what happened.”
He highlighted a pivotal moment early in Samson’s innings when England captain Harry Brook dropped a straightforward catch at mid-on. Samson, on just 15 runs, went on to score 89 off 42 balls, setting India on the path to a formidable total.
Chasing 254, England showed glimpses of an improbable comeback but were eventually restricted to 246. Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional bowling in the final overs, conceding just six runs, proved decisive. In a match where the run rate exceeded 12 runs per over, Bumrah’s calm and clinical death-over performance stood out.
Amir also praised Bumrah but reiterated that the missed catch was the turning point:
“The only difference between the sides was Bumrah. But if Harry Brook had taken Samson’s catch, England could have won with an over to spare.”
India’s win not only silenced critics but also demonstrated their composure and ability to capitalise on critical moments in high-pressure matches.
