Pakistan captain Babar Azam recently addressed the team’s poor performance at the Twenty20 World Cup, acknowledging that the batting department let them down. He apologised to the fans for failing to reach the Super Eight stage of the tournament. After suffering a shocking defeat to the United States and a loss to India, Pakistan was unable to secure a spot in the Super Eight. Despite a victory against Ireland, they finished third in their group.
The disappointment in Pakistan’s performance led to speculation about internal issues within the team. Babar had previously stepped down as captain after the 50-overs World Cup but was reinstated as the white-ball skipper for the T20 World Cup. Discussion about a rift within the team emerged as the PCB chief hinted at significant changes following their exit from the tournament.
The main area of concern for Pakistan was their batting, which failed to capitalise on powerplay overs and establish partnerships. Babar mentioned that the pitches in the tournament favoured fast bowlers but overall, the batting lineup failed to deliver. The captain highlighted the importance of game awareness in modern cricket and acknowledged the need for a reset in approach to white-ball cricket.
All-rounder Imad Wasim also emphasised the necessity for a complete reset of the team’s approach, and Babar echoed his sentiment. He stressed the importance of every player having game awareness and common sense in the fast-paced nature of modern cricket. Despite losing crucial matches, Babar acknowledged the collective responsibility of the team for their disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup.
Moving forward, Pakistan will need to address their batting issues and improve their game awareness to adapt to the demands of modern cricket. The team’s inability to capitalise on opportunities and lack of partnerships were key factors in their early exit from the tournament. With a focus on restructuring their approach to white-ball cricket, Pakistan aims to bounce back stronger in future competitions.