Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed has dismissed Sri Lankan Test captain Dinesh Chandimal’s claim that the Lankans won the Test series because of “witchcraft” and receiving blessings from a sorcerer, the Hindustan Times reported.
“We lost the two Tests because of our poor batting and that is all,” Sarfraz said. “If they could win Test matches because of witchcraft or magic, then they should have also won the ODI and T20 series.”
Earlier this week, Chandimal told reporters he had received a special blessing from a meyni, or sorcerer, ahead of the two-match series in the United Arab Emirates.
“I am always ready to accept the blessings of anyone — whether it is a meyni or any clergy,” Chandimal told reporters after returning to Colombo.
“You can have talent, but without this blessing, you can’t move forward,” he had said a week after Sri Lanka’s sports minister denied ordering the struggling national team to use witchcraft ahead of the Test series.
Responding to the claim, Sarfraz said today: “I believe in the Quran and also that there is magic in the world; but we just batted badly and lost our chances to win.”
While luck plays a role in cricket, matches are won and lost on the field, he said.
Pakistan came back strongly after losing the Test series 2-0 to Sri Lanka, going on to whitewash the Lankan tigers in the five-match ODI and two-match T20 series.
Pakistan’s T20 series win has also helped the side clinch the top T20 spot in ICC rankings.
