Afridi blames Misbah for 2011 World Cup semi final defeat against India
Last updated on: 30 September,2020 09:02 am
Afridi also said that as a captain, he "should have changed the plan to increase the runs a bit."
LAHORE (Web Desk) – Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi on Tuesday said that head coach Misbahul Haq played slow innings which led to Pakistan’s defeat in 2011 World Cup semi final against India.
In his interview with Arab News, he said that cricketer and present head coach Misbah-ul-Haq needed “to get the scoreboard going” at the 2011 World Cup semi final against India but played slow.
He said many people speak about Misbah that he played a slow inning. “First, it’s the nature of Misbah, this is his game. He takes enough time [to settle]. He strives to take the game to the end. But this situation required [from him] to get the scoreboard going.”
Afridi also said that as a captain, he "should have changed the plan to increase the runs a bit."
“The Indian body language on the ground had changed a lot after they took out one, two of our players,” he said. “They had become so dominating, overwhelming our team. We had retreated into our shell and became a bit defensive. Had we continued driving up the scoreboard under that pressure, it would have released some pressure off of us. But it was a great opportunity that, I believe, we missed.”
The former captain went on to say that three match winners could not play in the 2011 semi final due to spot fixing allegations, “so it became difficult for him to balance the team”. “Even if you lack one match winner, the team struggles, but I was lacking three,” the former captain added.
He said late Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was a successful coach because he didn’t “do politics.”