The Pakistani cricket team has been severely criticized by former cricketers and experts after they lost their games to USA and India in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The Babar Azam led-team, however, stayed in contention with a win over Canada in their third match but the future of this side’s progression in the tournament will depend on other teams.
Former Pakistan batsman Imran Nazir commenting about the team performance called Babar and his teammates “cowards” for their excuses.
“Sorry, but I am compelle to say; cricket is a game for the fearless [Cricket dileron ka khel hai. Yeh team jis tarike se khele hai, inse jyada buzdil cricketers aaj tak nahi dekhe]”, Nazir remarked on a Pakistani TV show.
“I usually think what new excuse they are going to come up with now. There are no excuses in cricket. You must play irrespective of whether you are playing on a wicket which is doing too much or under some difficult conditions,” Nazir added.
“How can you expect this team to win the World Cup where there is no middle order batsman who can rotate strike? This team had eight batters yet could not make 40 runs. First check out what you have got. Neither have you good enough batsmen nor bowlers,” he added.
In addition to Nazir. Ahmed Shehzad another Pakistan batter engaged in that program also exposed poor statistics of Babar from major tournaments.
“When my stats started deteriorating, I went straight to domestic cricket. And your [Babar’s] stats are not ‘King’ size. Nobody wants to retain you in the PSL team. International players are reluctant to join PSL teams alongside Babar because they say we will be under more pressure due to him playing. That is true,” said Shehzad.
Shehzad further recommended that Babar should participate in domestic cricket to improve his game.
“You should go and play in domestic cricket. I did it, and after three years of playing in them my performances improved. I am not saying that I will get select for the national side but this is a process. You have been five years [in international] cricket without raising your standard. Your cricket has stagnated. You know you cannot execute the modern day aerial shots that are need in this era of T20 cricket. He will be out. You should grind yourself in domestic cricket now,’ he said.
