Wasim Akram, former Pakistan fast bowler, and Waqar Younis have criticized the Babar Azam-led side for the 6-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup after restricting India to a modest total of 119.
Pakistan were cruising at 72/2 after 12 overs with Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman at the crease. However, their dismissals caused a collapse as they could only manage 113/7 falling short by six runs.
“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, you see 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,” he said on Star Sports.
“If you can’t win this game Pakistan what should I say? This was given to you on plate and Pakistan really spilled it. It was not nice performance from Pakistani batters; there were few partnerships in the beginning but they couldn’t finish it off”, Waqar said also.
In particular, Rizwan played across the line at Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery leading to his dismissal turning the game in favour of India.”The game was in hand it was run-a-ball that shot from Mohammad Rizwan was very ordinary when he played that shot and got out I knew something special is going to happen because we know Bumrah and Siraj’s capabilities”, he added.
Legendary left-arm fast bowler Wasim Akram supported Waqar’s opinion that Pakistani players lack game awareness.“They are playing cricket for last ten 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 probably the good thing would have been to play his deliveries cautiously but Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket”.
Akram had targeted Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed as batsmen who had not improved in spite of playing for the team for years. “He knows one shot on the leg side, Iftikhar Ahmed, he has been a part of the team for years but doesn’t know how to bat anymore. And Fakhar Zaman I can’t go and tell about the game awareness here. Pakistan players think if they don’t perform well coaches will be sacked, at least nothing will happen to them It is time to keep the coaches and change the whole team.”
He also brought out internal discord revealing that Babar Azam, captain, and Shaheen Shah Afridi—a left-arm fast bowler—do not communicate following a captaincy change earlier this year.”There are players who don’t want to talk with each other; this is international cricket you play for your country so make these players sit home.”
