Shoaib Malik didn’t mince his words while criticizing Babar Azam’s leadership and asserted that his brain didn’t kick in the entire T20 World Cup 2024. Babar Azam has been one of the most talked about players in the T20 World Cup, but not for the right reasons. He has been facing scrutiny for his captaincy after Pakistan’s horror start to the tournament. Shoaib Malik also spoke about the same and opposed it right from the start of the tournament.
In New York, nothing has gone in Pakistan’s favour thus far, and people have started pointing fingers at the captain, which is not new in the sport. Babar was re-instated as a Pakistan skipper earlier this year after the new management took charge of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Pakistan gets knocked out in group stage in WT20 2024.
Pakistan were knocked out from the T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday, 14 June. Pakistan’s fate was sealed after USA and Ireland shared points when their group-stage game was washed out by rain at Lauderhill, Florida. Pakistan’s agonizing exit comes on the back of a controversial campaign where a lot of questions have been raised on their selection policy and playing tactics.
Pakistan fans were left furious on social media after the team’s exit and slammed the management and the Pakistan Cricket Board. Several demanded answers from the concerned authorities as this is Pakistan’s second group-stage exit in back to back ICC tournaments. Pakistan were earlier knocked out of the ODI World Cup 2023 group stage as well.
Pakistan were criticized heavily after the team lost their inaugural match against USA in the tournament. The agony of the loss doubled after they faced India next in New York. Pakistan stayed alive by beating Canada in their third fixture and were hoping that USA would lose their group-stage game against Ireland.
That however did not happen and now Pakistan will play an inconsequential match against Ireland in their final group stage game. Former Pakistan player Shoaib Malik has slammed the teams performance in T20Is and has called for the changes in a team based on likings and disliking’s.
Shoaib Malik reacts to Pakistan’s group-stage 2024 T20 World Cup exit
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has slammed Pakistan for their liking and disliking culture while selecting the national team following their exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Shoaib Malik also slammed the Men in Green for their lack of game awareness in crunch situations.
The 42-year-old added that players don’t even follow the process to overcome their hurdles. He believes that the root cause of that is in the domestic arena, which has led to their downfall in international cricket.
The reaction came as Pakistan failed to qualify for the Super Eight stage of the ongoing edition of the ICC event. The Men in Green lost to co-hosts USA by five runs in a Super Over before losing to India by six runs in a low-scoring thriller.
Babar Azam and Co. registered their first win against Canada but were reliant on other results to progress to the next round. A washout between Ireland and the USA fixture led to their ouster before their final game, though. Speaking to Ten Sports Pak, Shoaib Malik said:
“I still have an association with cricket. I play only (domestic) T20 cricket with Pakistan, and I played the last one as well. I have played for the Sialkot team. I felt miserable that our players coming through the ranks have no game awareness. It’s our best tournament after PSL. There is too much bad condition at the bottom level.
“We can’t come out of liking, disliking; it’s our culture. It’s developed over the years. But please the players with merit who don’t have someone to speak for them, they don’t get chances. I feel miserable about it. You should at least have game awareness.”
He added:
“Losing or winning is secondary against associate teams but you should look dictating in terms of playing the game. There is no game awareness at lower levels and we can see that with the Pakistan team as well.
“When the match enters crunch situations, there is no game awareness. At least you should know the process of how to cross the hurdle. Here the players don’t even know the process as well.”
Pakistan face Ireland in their last group-stage game – now a dead rubber – in Florida on Sunday, June 16 which would now be a dead rubber in Pakistan’s prospect.