By Anees-ur-Rehman
Just like in any team sport, unity and teamwork are vital to success in cricket. However, for the Pakistan cricket team, internal alleged groupings and other key issues led to their surprise exit in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2024. This was the first time the three-time finalist were eliminated so early from the tournament.
In the group stage, Pakistan’s performance fell below expectations, losing crucial matches against USA and India due to poor teamwork and lack of sustaining pressure at crunch times.
Pakistan's early exit from the T20 World Cup is blamed on team "groupings" and senior players failing in key moments.
This may lead to major changes in both the team and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Babar Azam struggled to unite the team due to these divisions. Shaheen Afridi was upset about losing the captaincy before the world cup.
Grouping creates a negative atmosphere in the team. Players feel isolated. This was evident in the team’s body language and performance during the three matches played so far.
It is scandalous that some players are not on speaking terms, creating a negative atmosphere and affecting their confidence.
Internal rifts even before T20 world cup
Speculations about rifts among senior players had been circulating in the media even before the World Cup. In April 2024, Wahab Riaz, member of the Pakistan men's team selection committee, dismissed these rumors in a press conference, but the team’s early exit reignited the controversy.
Najam Sethi’s take on groupings
Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi confirmed the rumors of internal grouping, especially after Pakistan's losses to USA and India. Sethi explained that the team was divided into three groups. One large group supported Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was removed as captain just before the World Cup. A smaller group backed the current captain, Babar Azam. The third group remained neutral, waiting to see how things unfolded. Sethi also pointed out that a group of 8 to 9 Pashtun players held a significant influence within the team.
Ijaz Ahmed’s controversial remarks
Another controversy erupted when former cricketer Ijaz Ahmed made racist comments about Pashtuns. He blamed them for the Pakistan team’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup, claiming on a live TV show that 80% of cricket in Pakistan was limited to remote areas or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that six to eight players in the Sindh team were Pashtun and suggested they lacked education and exposure.
Ijaz remarked, “They wake up in the morning and go for prayers with their fathers and return home,” arguing that such players fail to perform well under pressure in major events.
His comments drew severe criticism from the public, and cricket fans demanded an apology for targeting the Pashtun community.
After facing backlash from former cricketers and the public, Ijaz apologised to the Pashtun community. In a video message, he stated that he did not intend to hurt their sentiments.
Shahid Afridi’s Reaction
Former captain Shahid Afridi was furious over Ijaz’s comments. He expressed his surprise, saying, “I did not expect this from such a senior player. He talks about the grooming of Pashtuns. I am amazed; he is himself 60-65 years old and has not groomed himself yet. He should not make such comments. Do not speak about ethnicity; you have played so much for Pakistan. Say things that can unite this nation. We are already divided as Sindhi and Pashtun; don’t make it worse.”
PCB repeats past mistakes
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has repeated past mistakes as current chairman Mohsin Naqvi, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Zaka Ashraf, announced a "major surgery" in the team after their loss to India in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Announcing such an overhaul in the middle of the tournament sent a negative message to the players, demotivating them and resulting in Pakistan being knocked out of the tournament during the group stage.
Releasing statements like this during a tournament, as Zaka Ashraf did in his brief tenure of barely six months last year, is ill-advised. Ashraf had pressured former chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq to resign during the ODI World Cup in India in 2023.
Inzamam stated, “I am stepping down from the post to offer the PCB the opportunity to conduct a transparent inquiry about the conflict of interest allegations raised in the media. If the committee finds me not guilty, I will resume my role as the chief selector."
After the World Cup, the PCB appointed Shaheen Afridi as the captain of the white-ball team, with Shan Masood named skipper of the Test team.
Wicket-less Shadab Khan
Former vice-captain Shadab Khan failed to make an impact in the T20 world cup, remaining wicket-less throughout the tournament. He did not bowl in the last two matches against India and Canada and conceded 27 runs in 3 overs against the USA. This suggests a lack of confidence in Shadab’s bowling from the captain, which is why he was not utilised.
Pakistan’s early exit without playing in West Indies
The selection committee included Mohammad Amir, Azam Khan, Saim Ayub, and Imad Wasim in the World Cup squad based on their outstanding performances in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Ironically, Pakistan was knocked out of the World Cup without playing a single match in the West Indies, as all their group matches were held in the USA.
Key moments leading to Pakistan’s world cup exit
Mohammad Amir’s Super Over against the USA conceded 18 runs.
Dot balls by Imad Wasim and others at crucial times against India.
The USA vs Ireland match was abandoned due to rain.