(AFP Photo)
Former captain Shahid Afridi expressed deep dissatisfaction after Pakistan’s humiliating 6-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup on Sunday. The all-rounder didn’t mince words as he criticized skipper Babar Azam for the team’s performance. With losses against the USA and India, Pakistan now faces a crucial match against Canada on Tuesday, which they must win to stay in contention in the T20 World Cup.
“I think now is the time for Gary Kirsten and Babar Azam to make some changes. I would like to see Salman Ali Agha come into the side in place of Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed to come in for Shadab Khan,” Afridi stated in talks with ICC.
Pakistan’s fast bowlers dominated the Indian batting lineup, restricting them to 119 runs after a promising start of 81/3 in the first 10 overs. This marked the first instance of India being bowled out by Pakistan in T20Is.
However, what appeared to be a straightforward victory for Pakistan turned into a nightmare as Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya wreaked havoc on Pakistan’s batting order. Their exceptional bowling led to Pakistan’s downfall, resulting in a devastating 6-run loss.
According to Afridi, a significant contributor to Pakistan’s defeat was captain Babar Azam. Afridi suggests that Azam should be moved down the batting order to allow for players like Fakhar Zaman to open the innings.
“Most of all, I believe Fakhar Zaman should be promoted to open the innings alongside Mohammad Rizwan, with Babar dropping down to number three.
“There are some tough conversations and choices to come but we need to remember that there is still hope: Pakistan are not out of the tournament yet.”
Even with the loss of wickets, Pakistan maintained a feasible chance of winning the match, requiring 37 runs in the last 5 overs. However, Jasprit Bumrah’s crucial wickets, including that of Rizwan in the 14th over, triggered a collapse in the batting order, ultimately preventing Pakistan from reaching their target.
“The key difference between the two teams was India’s consistency, self-belief, discipline and attitude on the field. The Pakistan batting line-up simply isn’t clicking and what we saw was a weak display of power hitting.
According to Afridi, Pakistan succumbed to the immense pressure of such a significant match on Sunday. “In crucial matches, you need unwavering nerves to endure until the end,” he emphasized.
“India stayed positive and calm until the last ball and the pressure of the run chase was not handled well by Babar Azam’s side,” he added.
