First called Abhishek Sharma a ‘slogger’, then said India won’t reach semis; ‘Astrologer’ Mohammad Amir laughs after 76-run loss against South Africa

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir was seen laughing after India’s crushing loss to South Africa in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Ahead of the high-stakes clash in Ahmedabad, Amir had stirred controversy by predicting that the defending champions would fail to reach the semi-finals. He claimed that South Africa and the West Indies would advance to the last four instead of India. His remarks did not go down well with Indian fans, who trolled him heavily on social media.

However, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side suffered a shocking 76-run defeat as South Africa dominated the hosts. The loss not only dented India’s campaign but also significantly hurt their net run rate, making their path to the semi-finals far more complicated despite starting the tournament as favourites.

Amir’s ‘Astrologer’ Moment on Live TV

Following the match, Amir appeared on a Pakistani television channel for a post-game discussion. During the programme ‘Haarna Mana Hai’, the anchor jokingly referred to him as an astrologer, prompting Amir to burst into laughter.


The anchor said, “The thing that our Pakistani team is not able to do, our panellists are doing by sitting in the studio in Lahore. Mohammad Amir first called Abhishek Sharma a slogger, and since then, Abhishek has not been able to find form in the tournament.”

“He then said India won't play the semi-finals, and it seems that India is listening to what Amir stated. Let's welcome astrologer, cricketer and left-arm pacer, Mohammad Amir,” he added.

Amir’s Earlier Dig at Abhishek Sharma

Earlier in the tournament, Amir had labelled India opener Abhishek Sharma a “slogger”, suggesting that the batter did not possess another gear in his game. The remark resurfaced after Abhishek once again failed to make a significant impact in the crucial Super 8 encounter.

How the Match Unfolded

Chasing a target of 188, India were bowled out for just 111, losing the match by 76 runs. Ishan Kishan was dismissed for a duck in the very first over by Aiden Markram. Tilak Varma followed soon after, adding to India’s early troubles.

Abhishek managed to get off the mark but endured a scratchy stay at the crease before being sent back by Marco Jansen. The Indian batting lineup struggled to build partnerships, with no player managing to anchor the innings. Only Shivam Dube contributed a fighting knock to add some respectability to the total.

With their net run rate taking a major hit, India now face a tough road ahead in the race for the semi-finals.