Babar Azam’s dropping shoulders and frustration on the field during Pakistan’s loss to USA weren’t good signs of a leader, opined Dinesh Karthik. USA defeated Pakistan in a historic achievement in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 in Dallas, Texas on June 6.
Pakistan, who were finalists in the previous T20 World Cup two years ago, were heavy favorites to get off to a good start in Group A ahead of the big weekend fixture against India, but they delivered an insipid display that began with a sloppy Powerplay effort after being put into bat.
Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman smashed sixes to begin their innings but were shortly removed. Between them, Usman Khan was removed for another poor score. The problem for Pakistan was that they had one of the lowest-averaging middle orders in the game, but their captain’s 4 from 14 balls during the field limitations didn’t help.
Pakistan recovered, but could only post 159/7 in 20 overs. The USA managed to tie the game as captain Monank Patel hit a half-century and Andries Gous (35) and Aaron Jones (36*) contributed as well. Finally, Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar helped the USA tie the game despite needing 15 runs in the last over against Haris Rauf.
Mohammad Amir then conceded 17 runs in the super over, bowling multiple wides, and then the USA beautifully defended those runs and won the super over by 5 runs.
Dinesh Karthik says Babar Azam needs to find a body language that is positive in a crunch situation
Former India batter-keeper Dinesh Karthik opined that Babar Azam needs to work on his body language as captain as drooping shoulders and a sullen look on the face demoralize the Pakistan team as well.
“Today yeah as a leader you have to find a way to be very diplomatic in press conferences and post-match ceremonies and somehow find a way to back your players. inside the four walls in the dressing room.
You can say what you want and have a go at a few people but you need to find a way to back those players it’s done thing being honest but it’s also one thing trying to understand what the dynamics of your team are just is newly appointed as a captain a lot of the players are vulnerable right now and he needs to back them he needs to be saying things like yes it was a bad day,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Dinesh Karthik said that Babar Azam’s body language was a sign that he wasn’t a good leader.
“You know probably we could have done certain things better but we will make sure that we will once we get on a role we have some special players that’s the kind of language to state things like we didn’t play the first six overs well you know we lost too many wickets it is a stating the obvious which most people know but also if you’re one of the Pakistan players you know reading it which they will be it feels like he’s letting you down and the way he’s conducted himself on the field where he’s having a go at some of the bowlers when boundaries go or his shoulders dropping isn’t the sign of a good leader.
I think he needs to find a way to have a body language which suggest that he’s okay with what is happening and they can still come around and uh that’s something that you need to possess yes showing disappointment is fine but there’s a way to show it where the players don’t get even more nervous than what they are on the field already,” he added.
Pakistan will next face India on June 9 in New York.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2024: Mitchell Marsh Provides Update On Mitchell Starc’s Fitness