What went wrong with Pakistan cricket team in World Cup?
Cricket
Pakistan have consistently been a competitive side in tournaments
By Anees-ur-Rehman
The Pakistan cricket team has a rich history in international cricket, having won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1992 and the T20 World Cup in 2009.
Pakistan have consistently been a competitive side in various tournaments and on a given day, they can outdo the strongest of the competitors.
Unfortunately, the team has ebbed to an unprecedented low in the ongoing world cup after Afghanistan registered a record victory against the former world champions in Chennai the other day.
This was the third consecutive defeat for Pakistan in the tournament after securing two early wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.
The Pakistan team looked off-colour in the match against the Afghan side. The body language of the players was not up to the mark. They kept on playing their own way, which cost the match. Afghanistan outclassed Pakistan in all three departments – bowling, batting, and fielding.
Earlier in the tournament, Afghanistan also thrashed defending champion England by 69 runs.
So, where things went wrong for Pakistan which landed in India with a huge onus of expectations. Inconsistent batting, wayward bowling, poor captaincy, inability to handle pressure, a lack of modern-day cricket approach, and selection issues have all contributed to the Green Shirts’ dismal performance in the mega event.
Cautious batting approach
One of the major issues that have plagued the Pakistan cricket team in world cups has been inconsistent batting and a lack of modern-day approach.
If you look around the other teams, they are continuously posting big totals on the board. On the contrary, Pakistani batsmen are playing with a cautious approach, ending up scoring below par in the tournament.
The team has struggled to build partnerships in the middle overs and post competitive totals, resulting in inconsistent performances. Players like Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique and Imamul Haq should step up and play fearless cricket in order to advance to the next stage of the World Cup.
Poor bowling
Pakistan have always been known for producing world-class bowlers and the current pacers spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi have been rated high. This time around, Pakistani bowlers looked hapless in the world cup.
They failed to take wickets as they did not bowl according to the field and situation. They also failed to adapt to the conditions and mix things up (as they say in cricket).
Captaincy issues
Leadership is a vital part of any successful cricket team. Pakistan have faced challenges in this area as well. In the ongoing event, there have been questions surrounding the leadership skills of Babar Azam.
For instance, he failed to put pressure on the Afghan batters in the latter part of the innings. The Afghanistan batsmen, throughout their innings, managed to get easy singles and boundaries at their will.
Babar, who is no doubt an accomplished batsman, seems out of wits as a steward and has failed to pull the team back from choppy waters.
‘Rift’ in the team
There are reports in the media that an alleged rift in the team has caused this debacle. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has denied such reports and said the team is united under the leadership of Babar Azam.
Inability to handle pressure
Cricket is a game of immense pressure and the ability to perform under pressure is crucial for any team. Unfortunately, Pakistan have often faltered in high-pressure situations, like games against India and Australia.
Lack of planning
Another issue that has affected Pakistan's world cup campaign is a lack of planning. In some matches, the team seemed to lack tactics to counter the opposition. This was particularly evident in their inability to adapt to different playing conditions and pitches.
Team selection
The selection of the playing XI and the overall team combination is another area where Pakistan have struggled. Some of the players have been included on the basis of reputation or personal relationships rather than merit.
Although the team management shrugs off the allegations, these will continue to haunt the team if it fails to click in time.
