Danish Kaneria tears into Pakistan after 61-run loss to India in T20 World Cup clash

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Danish Kaneria didn't hold back. On February 16, 2026, the former leg-spinner destroyed the Pakistan team. This came right after their 61-run loss to India. The T20 World Cup game at R. Premadasa Stadium was a total joke. Kaneria said that staying home would have been “less embarrassing” for the squad. He thinks the players showed zero fight on the grass.

The mess started before the first ball. First, the Pakistan government told the team to boycott the match. This was for Bangladesh. Then, they changed their minds. Kaneria called them “U-turn specialists” for this flip-flop. He said if you act tough about not playing, you better play like lions. Instead, Pakistan collapsed. They were bowled out for just 114 runs while chasing India’s 175.

Kaneria was savage on social media. Someone posted about fans in Dera Ghazi Khan watching on big screens. Kaneria replied that those screens just helped fans see “the reality in high definition.” He pointed out that Ishan Kishan’s 77-run knock made Pakistan's bowling look weak. To him, the gap is massive now. He thinks India is playing a whole different level of cricket.

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He also had a blunt message for the board. He told them to stop looking for the “India money” and fix the local game. Pakistan is in deep trouble. They might miss the Super 8s. India is already qualified. Now, Pakistan must beat Namibia on Wednesday just to stay in the race. Kaneria mocked Usman Tariq for saying he would win it alone. He said Tariq’s talk was empty. He wants the players to stop making excuses. He wants them to actually win for the fans. The loss has left Pakistan cricket in a dark, messy spot.