(Credit ICC)
Pakistan captain Babar Azam reflected on their journey in the previous T20 World Cup, emphasizing that the defeat against Zimbabwe was more painful than the loss to India, despite the latter’s prominence.
During the T20 World Cup 2022, Pakistan’s campaign had a tumultuous start, marked by initial setbacks. However, they rebounded impressively, progressing to the tournament final against England.
Their initial defeat against India was particularly disheartening, despite dominating most of the match. Virat Kohli’s exceptional batting prowess sealed the victory for India.
The subsequent loss to Zimbabwe intensified Pakistan’s woes. Struggling to chase a modest target, they succumbed to pressure after early setbacks, with Sikandar Raza’s impactful double-wicket over turning the tide in Zimbabwe’s favor.
Despite the setback, Pakistan rallied with consecutive victories, eventually reaching the tournament final. However, they fell short against England in a captivating finale.
Reflecting on these experiences, Babar Azam highlighted the missed opportunities against India and the lingering disappointment from the defeat to Zimbabwe. Speaking on the PCB podcast, he elaborated on these challenges.
“In 2022, I feel we should have won the match against India, but they pulled it off in the end. Our loss against Zimbabwe was very hurtful. (on being asked if it hurts more than loss against India) Kind of, because we played good cricket in that game.
“Even in the match with India, we played well and people praised us that we lost after putting up a fight. But I feel we could’ve won that match.”
What kept us from winning the final was Shaheen’s injury – Babar Azam
In the tournament final, Pakistan faced a setback when Shaheen Afridi sustained an injury. The pacer had been performing impressively, posing a threat to the opposition. However, during the crucial final overs, he had to leave the field due to injury, leaving Pakistan with one less quality bowler, ultimately impacting their chances.
Acknowledging this setback, Babar Azam conceded that Shaheen Afridi’s injury played a significant role in the outcome of the match. He expressed regret over the missed opportunity, suggesting that had Afridi not been injured, the result could have been different for Pakistan. This, according to Azam, stands as his biggest regret from the last World Cup.
“What kept us from winning the final was Shaheen’s injury. If he hadn’t been injured, it could’ve been a different ball game. Because the pressure was on England at that time giving the spinner the over because of Shaheen’s injury made the difference. I regret that moment and often wonder, ‘What if?”
Babar Azam is set to lead the Pakistan team in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Their tournament journey will commence with a match against the USA on June 6th.
