The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently released a promotional video for the 2023 ODI World Cup set to be staged in India. Almost instantaneously the video went viral with the presence of Shah Rukh Khan also playing a part in the craze behind the clip. However, it seems like the promo hasn't left everyone impressed. Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar is not at all pleased with it and has made his disappointment public. He believes Babar Azam should have been included in the video.
It is pertinent to note that while the two minute 13 seconds long video features fan reactions and visuals of the World Cup fixtures from the past including the six that the then India skipper hit at the Wankhede Stadium to help India clinch the trophy in 2011, it also includes several members from the world cricket fraternity with the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Jonty Rhodes, Muttiah Muralitharan and even the captain of the 2019 World Cup winning England team Eoin Morgan making an appearance.
Also Read: 'Virat Kohli Or Babar Azam?' Asks Harbhajan Singh. Response From Shoaib Akhtar Goes Viral
Akhtar though reckons that Pakistan wasn't represented in the video which isn't factually correct as the video does feature Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahan Riaz. Having said that, Akhtar is correct when he said that Pakistan captain Babar Azam, one of the world's leading batters in modern-day great, did not features in the promo video.
"Whoever thought that World Cup promo will be complete without Pakistan & Babar Azam's significant presence, has actually presented himself as a joke. Come on guys, time to grow up a bit," the ex-Pakistan pacer tweeted.
Meanwhile, Pakistan are all set to begin their ODI World Cup 2023 campaign against Netherlands on October 6. Their much-anticipated clash against India is on October 15.