The Pakistani cricket team defeated Canada by seven wickets in their opening match of the T20 World Cup 2024 on June 11 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Although it was an easy target for the Pakistani batsmen, Canada set a target of 107, which they knocked down in 17.3 overs with three wickets lost. In order to increase their chances of making it to the Super-8s.
Pakistan needed to increase their net run rate in this game.Despite the fact that the pitch conditions are unsuitable for them, previous cricketers, including as former captain Shoaib Malik, have chastised the batsmen for their incapacity to compete against Canada’s spinners. Following the game, Malik commented on a local sports channel, “
Today when [Canada’s] spinners were bowling, especially Saad Bin Zafar and Junaid Siddiqui, they [Pakistani batters] were running singles on the front-foot and on back-foot.” “The players mhav told us that the conditions have been tough, but they weren’t tough [in the Canada match], especially when facing spinners. The circumstances were good for the two tall pacers that they [Canada] have, but not so well for the spinners, Kaleem Sana, Zafar, and Junaid. Pakistan ought to have taken measures to be eligible super 8.
Malik also attacked the squad for not finishing the game sooner and raising their net run rate, which will aid them in making it to the Super-8s, and for Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, not taking any chances. Babar made just two tries, in my opinion, to get beyond the wicket and hit a six and again. Rizwan, on the other hand, scored fifty, which was admirable and well-played, but the team needed more from them.
“If they had the chance to finish it early [due to the conditions not suiting the Canadian spinners] then why did they take the game till the end when they had an opportunity to finish it up early and better their net run rate to qualify for the Super-8s.”
The former captain also advised the team to play for team goals rather than playing for something else, “The situation in the team is even evident to the people watching on TV. The point I am trying toestablish is that play for the country.”
Pakistan cricket team has had a poor run oin the T20 World Cup 2024 as they lost both of their first matches against the USA and then the arch-rivals India. Both of the games were easy to win for Pakistan but a blunder here and there turned the results against them.
Pakistan’s remaining match in the T20 World Cup 2024 groupstage is scheduled for June 16 in Florida against Ireland
