(PTI Photo)

Former Pakistan pace bowler Waqar Younis criticized the Babar Azam-led team following their narrow six-run loss to India in the T20 World Cup match. He expressed his frustration, questioning what more he can say when the team fails to secure victory despite dismissing the opposition for a low score.

“I think India gave Pakistan a good chance of winning this game by batting poorly. They could have easily put up maybe 140-150. Losing those seven wickets right at the end didn’t really help. However, India is such a good balanced side.

“If they don’t bat well, they know they have got (Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Siraj, Ravindra (Jadeja) – they have their bowling and fielding also really covered, which makes them a super team.

“Pakistan – if you can’t win this game, what should I say? This was given to you on a plate and Pakistan really spilled it. It was a horrible performance by the Pakistani batters. There were a few partnerships in the beginning but they couldn’t really finish the game,” said Waqar to Star Sports after the match.

Additionally, he believed that wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan’s decision to play across the line against Jasprit Bumrah was ill-advised. This move proved costly as Rizwan was bowled out, igniting India’s momentum and ultimately leading to their victory. Notably, this win marks the lowest total successfully defended by India in Men’s T20 Internationals.

“The game was in the hand, it was run-a-ball. That shot from Mohammad Rizwan was very ordinary, and when he played that shot and got out, I knew something special was going to happen because we know Bumrah and Siraj’s capabilities,” he added.

The sentiments expressed by legendary left-arm pace bowler Wasim Akram mirrored those of Waqar Younis.“They have been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can’t teach them. Rizwan has no game awareness. He should have known that Bumrah was given the ball to take wickets and that the wise thing would have been to play his deliveries cautiously. But Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket.”

With Pakistan teetering on the verge of an early elimination, Akram vented his frustration toward batsmen Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed.“Iftikhar Ahmed knows one shot on the leg side. He has been a part of the team for years but doesn’t know how to bat. I can’t go and tell about the game awareness to Fakhar Zaman. Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them. It is time to keep the coaches and change the entire team.”

Akram concluded by disclosing that captain Babar Azam and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi have not been communicating since the change in captaincy earlier this year.“There are players who don’t want to talk to each other. This is international cricket, and you play for your country. Make these players sit at home.”