The absence of familiar Pakistani chants and fervor in the stadium left a void. Arthur acknowledged the impact of the massive 130,000-strong partisan crowd but was determined not to use it as an excuse for the loss.
"So yes, that does play a role, but I'm not going to use that as an excuse because for us it was about living the moment, it was about the next ball and it was about how we were going to combat the Indian, the Indian players tonight," he added.
He refrained from commenting on whether such an arrangement should have been allowed in the first place.
"Look I don't think I can't comment on that just yet. I don't want to get fined," said Arthur.
The absence of Pakistan fans has been a hot topic in the lead-up to the World Cup, with significant criticism directed at the BCCI for not collaborating with the Government of India to secure travel approvals for Pakistani fans.
The delayed visa approvals for Pakistani journalists and limited representation in the stadium further underscored the unique situation.
Mickey Arthur did not mince his words in acknowledging that Pakistan was the second-best side in the contest. He expressed that Pakistan's performance felt timid, with the team possibly needing a more aggressive approach against the Indian spinners.
“I thought we were a little bit timid. I did think we could probably have taken on the Indian spinners just a little bit more. It was a wicket that didn't turn massively, and I thought we needed to put some pressure back. But again, they were building and building nicely,” said Arthur.
He stressed that Pakistan didn't play their style and brand of cricket during this match, which was a source of disappointment.
"I think we've got to realize that there are two ways to always skin a cat. And we've had success by taking it deep and then cashing in at the back end. That's been our style, that's been our brand, but we didn't play the Pakistan Way tonight, and that was the disappointing aspect of it for me." he added.
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