Navjot Singh Sidhu calls Mohammad Amir ‘dhongi baba’, says empty vessels make the most noise

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has once again landed in the spotlight after another prediction about India in the T20 World Cup 2026 went wrong. This time, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu mocked Amir, calling him a “dhongi baba” after India defeated England by seven runs in the semi-final, a result that contradicted Amir’s forecast.

Amir had earlier claimed that India would not reach the semi-finals of the tournament. When India progressed comfortably, he shifted his prediction and backed England to beat the Indian team in the knockout match. But the semi-final result proved otherwise, triggering sharp reactions from former players.

Sidhu mocks Amir over failed predictions

Navjot Singh Sidhu did not hold back while reacting to Amir’s comments. The former India cricketer said predictions mean little once the match begins and suggested Amir’s repeated calls about India have not aged well.


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"Honestly, I think such people are just dhongi babas (fake babas). First they said India wouldn't even qualify, wouldn't reach the semifinals. They claimed West Indies and South Africa would go ahead. But the moment Sanju Samson made his comeback, both those teams were sent packing. And today they said England would win the semifinal, and England also got knocked out," Sidhu said about Amir.

Sidhu also stressed that the outcome of matches depends on what happens on the field rather than on pre-match predictions.

"So my point is, predictions don't decide these things. Matches are decided on the battlefield. You don't earn a throne by begging for it. Empty vessels make the most noise. That's the whole point," he added.

Amir’s earlier predictions about India

Amir had been making bold calls about India’s campaign since the early stages of the T20 World Cup. He initially predicted that India would lose to West Indies in the Super 8 stage and fail to reach the semi-finals.

That prediction also proved incorrect as India defeated West Indies. Later, Amir shifted his focus to the semi-final and said England would stop India’s run in the tournament.

However, India edged past England in a tight match, winning by seven runs and securing a place in the final.

India won't win: Amir stands by his view

Despite the outcome, Amir defended his prediction and argued that the match could have turned out differently if England captain Harry Brook had taken a key catch.

"I talk about cricket. India played very good and complete cricket in this match after the entire tournament. We have to give credit where it is due. I did make a good prediction, but dropping a catch, that's not in my hands. If you drop the catch of an in-form batter, this is what happens," he said.

Amir also pointed to Jasprit Bumrah’s impact in the match and suggested England might have chased the target if the missed opportunity had not occurred.

"The only difference between the two teams was Bumrah. If Harry Brook would have taken the catch of Samson, this target would have been chased down by England with an over to spare," he added.

Predictions vs reality

The debate has added an off-field twist to India’s T20 World Cup journey. Amir’s repeated predictions about India have sparked reactions from fans and former players, especially after several of them failed to match the actual results.

With India now moving ahead in the tournament, the discussion around those predictions, and Sidhu’s colourful “dhongi baba” remark, has become another talking point during the World Cup.