Cricket lovers were shocked as the Pakistan cricket team defeated the hosts, the USA, in match number 11 of the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite an outstanding performance by Pakistan captain Babar Azam, the ‘Men in Green’ only managed to level the match before the climax of a dramatic Super Over at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Later on, Skipper Babar Azam gladly reviewed the team’s weaknesses and vowed that Pakistan would be back on track in the rest of the Group A matches.
Powerplay Struggles
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Speaking to the camera after the match, Babar Azam was left counting the missed opportunities where they did not bowl well during the intense first powerplay after being asked to bat first by the USA. He noted that the early dismissals made it difficult for Pakistan to gain some sort of big total and get well-fought partnerships.
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I believe while batting, we failed to seize a chance in the initial six overs and lost more wickets in the process, for which one needs to produce a special effort as a batsman to find partnerships. There, it became evident that we were not at our best in the first six overs.
Babar Azam also heavily criticized the bowling, especially the spin, which included Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed, the two bowlers who could not take a single wicket during the USA’s middle-over onslaught aggression.
“We weren’t getting those wickets in the middle overs of the game,” he pointed out, adding, “We failed to put the brakes on the USA score when they were setting the run-chase in early periods of any phase of the match.
Also read: Super Over Drama That Leads to the Victory For USA: Historic Upset For Pakistani Team
Vowing a Strong Comeback
But Babar Azam took to social media to comfort the fans and said that the team would work on their failings and perform better in the remaining matches of the T20 World Cup.
“We will come back stronger, but today we weren’t on par with the expectations. We shall take a lesson from this game.”.
This has left Pakistan with a big match against their archrivals, India, on the 9th of June, which is a must-win.
The exceptionally expected match will be facilitated at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. As Pakistan plans for their next experience, the emphasis will be on tending to the shortcomings uncovered in their game against the USA. The match against India offers them an opportunity to recapture their balance and show their versatility, notwithstanding their misfortune.
