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Former T20 World Cup victor Ahmed Shehzad took a swipe at Babar Azam on the eve of the T20 World Cup 2024, slated to unfold in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA). Shehzad insinuated that Saim Ayub’s persistence in the Pakistan squad despite repeated disappointments has been a diversionary tactic.
The Babar Azam-led contingent faced a setback, enduring a 2-0 defeat against England in their concluding bilateral T20I encounter prior to the T20 World Cup. Pakistani batsmen faltered throughout the T20I series as they readied themselves for the ICC championship. Notably, two matches in the recent series were abandoned due to inclement weather.
Preceding the England tour, Pakistan encountered a defeat in the inaugural T20I against Ireland, although they bounced back to clinch the subsequent two matches, securing the series triumph. Moreover, the Green Shirts locked horns with a makeshift New Zealand squad at home last month under Babar Azam’s leadership, drawing the five-match series 2-2.
Just To Divert Attention – Ahmed Shahzad
Speaking to Geo Sports, Ahmed Shahzad voiced his disapproval of Saim Ayub’s inclusion in the team despite his lackluster performances. Shahzad also suggested that players such as Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Amir were included in the squad as scapegoats, to shoulder the blame in case of any defeats.
“You have kept Saim Ayub in the team despite his many failures just to divert attention. You have put Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Naseem Shah, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Amir in the team so that all the blame for the losses can be placed on them,” Shahzad said.
It’s Nearly Impossible – Ahmed Shahzad
Ahmed Shahzad expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s purported commitment to aggressive cricket, highlighting the importance of robust opening partnerships. The ex-batsman emphasized that Babar Azam is deviating from the directives provided by the team management.
“No matter what combination you choose without a strong start from your openers no one can do wonders, it’s nearly impossible to achieve a target with 13 runs per over who come to bat in the last few overs. They always claim they will play aggressive cricket from now on, but it’s misleading,” Shahzad added.
“Mohsin Naqvi clearly stated in Dublin that we need to play aggressive cricket to score over 200 runs. He said not to worry if we get out for 110 or 120 runs but to go aggressive. Have you noticed if our captain has followed that directive? It seems like your captain isn’t taking Mohsin Naqvi seriously nor is he following any instructions from the team management. Babar Azam is just trying to carry this team as he has been for the last four years. If this continues even putting Iftikhar in the one-down position won’t help you,” he concluded.
Pakistan is set to kick off their T20 World Cup journey against co-hosts USA on June 6 in Dallas, followed by a clash with arch-rivals India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9. Their group-stage fixtures will conclude with matches against Canada and Ireland.
Having reached the knockout phases in the previous two T20 World Cups, Pakistan faced defeat at the hands of Australia in the semifinals in 2021 and succumbed to England in the final in 2022.
