India would've been knocked out: Ex-Pakistan star sparks fresh controversy after India's semifinal entry

Dubai, June 26 — Mohammad Amir’s pre-tournament proclamation that “India will not enter the semis” collapsed within minutes of the final Super 8 whistle, yet the former Pakistan quick has already lit a fresh firestorm by questioning the legitimacy of the very wicket that tilted the contest.

India’s five-wicket win over West Indies, sealed by Sanju Samson’s career-best 97 off 50 balls, carried Rohit Sharma’s side into the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals and turned Amir into social-media target practice. Rather than retreat, the 34-year-old doubled down on the Pakistani chat show Haarna Mana Hai, zeroing in on the 12th-over dismissal of Shimron Hetmyer.

With West Indies 98 for 3, Hetmyer tried to slog Jasprit Bumrah; umpire Chris Gaffaney raised his finger on the caught-behind appeal. Hetmyer reviewed, replays indicated a faint nick, but the batter and the Caribbean dugout remained incredulous. Amir labelled the decision “questionable” and argued the ripple effect could have been terminal for India.

“I don’t think he was out,” Amir insisted. “If Hetmyer had stayed and the score had reached 220-230, India would have been knocked out today.”

The ex-left-armer did concede individual brilliance, praising Samson’s innings as “the best of his life” given its do-or-die context. Yet he refused to recant his broader assessment of the tournament favourites, citing sloppy fielding—three to four dropped chances—and an over-reliance on Bumrah as evidence that India are “not playing good cricket overall.”

The remarks instantly reignited cross-border banter, amplifying a rivalry that now extends beyond the boundary and into broadcast studios as the knockout phase looms.

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