Dinesh Karthik roasts Atherton, Nasser over India Champions Trophy jibe after Pakistan crash out: 'You fossils felt...'

Nasser and Atherton had claimed last year that India had an unfair advantage during their victorious run in the Champions Trophy, having played all their matches at one venue after the Indian government barred the BCCI from sending the team to Pakistan for the ICC tournament. With India getting accustomed to the conditions in Dubai, with plans put in place even before the tournament got underway, and with no travelling involved compared to other teams — a few of which had to move between the UAE and Pakistan for their matches — the Men in Blue were considered better placed to win the tournament.

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On Tuesday, Karthik was asked which teams he was surprised did not reach the World Cup semifinals. He picked Pakistan among those teams and based his explanation on a statement that clearly aimed at Nasser and Atherton for their jibe at India last year.

"I expected Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Sri Lanka, because of the home conditions and because they are a side that needs a bigger cause. But that didn't work out. And then I thought of Pakistan, purely because they consistently played in Colombo, stayed in one hotel, knew the same pitches — and both you 'Fossils' felt that was the main reason why India won the Champions Trophy. By that same logic, Pakistan should have done something in this World Cup. Clearly, it works for one team but not for another, so there is a genuine lack of skill there. I'll back Pakistan to say they will fight a lot more, but then almost losing to Sri Lanka was mad, and on top of that, you hear about that," he said on the Sky Cricket Podcast.

Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka crashed out at the Super 8 stage. The Islanders, who had won the title in 2014, lost all their matches in the second round of the tournament. Pakistan, on the other hand, did beat Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 match but finished third in the table owing to a washed-out game against New Zealand and a defeat to England.

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