Akram attacks Hayden for his comments about India

New Delhi, Nov 15 (PTI) Matthew Hayden's comment about
India being a "third world" country came in for a scathing
attack from former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram who said the
Australians have a habit of bad-mouthing their opponents
whenever they lose.

Akram said the Aussies were "sore losers" and that Hayden
should have known that India was now hundred years ahead of
Australia "which is no more than a village".

"The thing about the Aussies is that they are sore
losers. They get personal when they get beaten. It is all a
matter of sour grapes and after going home, they've started
calling India a third-world country", Akram told ESPN Mobile
from Karachi.

"India is a superpower now; it is a hundred years ahead
of Australia, which is no more than a village, as compared to
India. You don't blame sightscreens for poor over rates. Even
Allan Border was critical of Australian tactics on the pitch,"
Akram said.

Akram's stinging reaction came a day after the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (B.C.C.I.) reacted strongly to
Hayden's remark, saying such a comment about India was totally
uncalled for from the Australian opener.

Back home after the 2-0 series defeat, Hayden spoke
about, what he perceived, poor ground conditions and
inordinate delays during the matches "that happen in Third
World countries".

"This was a completely uncalled for remark by him. A
player of his stature should not have made the comment,"
B.C.C.I.'s Finance Committee Chairman Rajiv Shukla had said
Friday.

"If slow-over rate is your habit, why blame India for
that and call India third world? We are a very prestigious
nation and it was not a nice comment by him," Shukla said.

Hayden made a list of things which he felt resulted in
Australia's slow over-rates in the series against India.

He alleged the Indian batsmen were reluctant to "face up"
quickly enough and there was constant movements around
sightscreens.

"They (opposition batsmen) are very difficult to get to
face up," Hayden said.

"Often we find ourselves with hands on hips waiting for
someone to either face up or someone in the sightboard to move
away; all the little frustrations that happen in Third World
countries and the heat as well," he added.