Former India skipper MS Dhoni shocked the entire world announcing his international retirement on August 15 (Saturday). While many thought Dhoni will play the T20 World Cup in India next year; he himself decided otherwise. However, former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar feels Indian Prime Minster might ask Dhoni to play the T20 World Cup next year.
Meanwhile, the legendary cricketer last played during the World Cup in England in 2019. Since then, he has been on sabbatical and his retirement speculations continued to rife. Finally, MS Dhoni put all debates to rest hanging his boots on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day.
MS Dhoni can still play for India – Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar, who has been active on social media, feels Dhoni still has the ability to represent India in the shortest format. It would be an icing on the cake if the cricketer from Ranchi retired after the ICC T20 World Cup in India.
“I think he could have played T20 cricket, he could have gone on to play the T20 World Cup. And the way India supports its stars, the way they love them and recognizes them, they would have played him in T20s. But it was his personal choice,” he said while speaking to a YouTube channel ‘BolWasim’.
Meanwhile, MS Dhoni still remains the only captain in history to win three ICC events – T20 World Cup in 2007, ICC World Cup in 2011, and ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Many believe Dhoni was in line the to play T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
However, with the tournament postponed, he had to change his plan. But Shoaib Akhtar feels Dhoni can still play the T20 World Cup if the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asks him to.
“You never know, the Prime Minister may call him and request him to play the T20 World Cup. That is also possible. Imran Khan was asked by General Zia-ul-Haq not to leave cricket after 1987, and he played. You cannot say no to the Prime Minister,” he signed off.