 "India vs Australia: David Warner hits back at Mohammad Kaif on 'best team' claim")
David Warner reacted strongly to former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif calling India the “best team on paper” despite losing the World Cup final. The Australia opening batter said in response, “you need to perform when it matters”.
Australia beat India by six-wickets in the ODI World Cup final on Sunday in Ahmedabad to lift a record-extending sixth title.
Kaif remarked on host broadcaster Star Sports that, “I can never accept that the best team has has won the World Cup.”
“The Indian team is the best team on paper,” said Kaif, who was part of the 2003 World Cup team which finished runners-up.
Warner, Australia’s leading run scorer in the tournament, responded to Kaif’s claims saying team composition on paper doesn’t matter and one needs to perform on the field and on the day to win a trophy.
“I like MK (Kaif), issue is it does not matter what’s on paper. At the end of the day you need to perform when it matters. That’s why they call it a final. That’s the day that counts and it can go either way, that’s sports. 2027 here we come,” wrote Warner on X, earlier Twitter.
India had entered the World Cup final brimming with confidence after winning all their matches in the tournament. They had won all nine of their league matches and the semi-final against New Zealand.
Australia, meanwhile, had lost their opening two matches in the World Cup including against India in Chennai, before collecting nine wins in a row.
But in the final, India were no match for a disciplined Australia that did well in all departments.