Pakistan captain Babar Azam didn’t hold back in his assessment of the team’s performance after their shocking loss to the USA in the T20 World Cup 2024. Despite the unprecedented defeat,Babar acknowledged feeling good, but he was candid about where things went wrong. He noted that the game’s turning point was losing wickets in quick succession after a solid partnership between him and Shadab Khan. “When you got momentum, you lost it because of losing wickets,” Babar said, highlighting the impact of losing Shadab and other key wickets at crucial moments.
Unfamiliar Conditions and Fielding Errors
Playing against an unfamiliar USA side, Pakistan struggled to adapt to the conditions. The batters found it difficult to spend time at the crease, and the bowlers, especially the pacers, failed to find their rhythm. Misfields by the Pakistani fielders added to their woes, allowing the USA to maintain pressure until the final overs. Babar emphasized that Pakistan’s performance was subpar in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. “We are not playing good in all three departments,” he admitted, pointing out the lack of early wickets and ineffective middle-overs bowling as critical issues.
Super Over Drama and Key Performances
In a thrilling game that went down to the wire, Pakistan managed to post 159/7, thanks to some late hits by Shaheen Afridi. The USA, led by a strong partnership between Andries Gous and captain Monank Patel, looked set to chase down the total. Pakistan’s bowlers made a brief comeback, but a boundary on the final ball by Nitish Kumar took the game to a Super Over. Mohammad Amir, who had shone in the penultimate over, was given the responsibility for the Super Over but faltered, conceding 18 runs. Pakistan’s reply fell short, scoring only 13/1, and the USA secured a 5-run win.
Babar Azam’s Honest Assessment
Babar Azam was clear about the need for improvement across all aspects of the game. He praised the USA team for their performance but stressed that Pakistan’s loss was due to their own poor play. “This is not an excuse that they played well. I think we played badly,” he stated. Despite the disappointment, Babar remained optimistic about their prospects, acknowledging that losing a match is always upsetting but underscoring the importance of stepping up as professionals. “We have to step up against such a performance or such a team,” he concluded.
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