NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan fast-bowlers Wasim Akaram and
Waqar Younis
have sharply criticized the Babar Azam-led side for their six-run defeat to India in the
T20 World Cup
, questioning their inability to win despite restricting India to a modest total of 119.
T20 World Cup Schedule | Points Table
During the chase, Pakistan appeared to be in control at 72/2 after 12 overs, with
Mohammad Rizwan
and
Fakhar Zaman
at the crease.
However, their dismissals triggered a collapse, and the team 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, 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," Waqar said on Star Sports.
"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," Waqar added.
Waqar specifically criticized Rizwan for his decision to play across the line against
Jasprit Bumrah
, which led to his dismissal and turned the game in India's favor. "The game was in 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 said.
Legendary left-arm fast-bowler
Wasim Akram
echoed Waqar's sentiments, lamenting the lack of game awareness among Pakistani players. "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."
Akram directed his criticism towards batters Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed, suggesting a lack of improvement despite years in the team. "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."
He also revealed internal discord, stating that captain
Babar Azam
and left-arm fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi are not on speaking terms following a captaincy change 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."
(With inputs from IANS)
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