The former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar feels that India was the better team in their game against Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, which was why they won the affair. It was quite bizarre how the 2009 champions failed to chase a paltry score of 120 runs in a T20 game.
The bowlers did really well in bundling out a heavy India batting lineup for just 119, with six balls to spare. Still, the batting side lacked intent for the entire 20 overs, as the opener Mohammad Rizwan kept on playing the dot balls, which raised the pressure on him and the whole batting order too.
However, at a position, when they needed 48 runs in 48 balls with seven wickets in hand, and an aggressive Fakhar Zaman had started with a big six to Axar Patel early on his innings, it felt that they would easily chase down the total, but Pakistan lacked a bit of game awareness and also the mode of going after the opponents in crunch situations.
‘We were surprised when we lost to the USA, but…’ – Mudassar Nazar
The former batting all-rounder of the Pakistan team, Mudassar Nazar feels that India was the better side in the contest, as they went close to the game, which ended in a 6-run defeat, just because of the nature of the pitch.
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“The better team won. Pakistan came very close because of the nature of the pitch,” Mudassar Nazar said during a chat in the show called ‘Caught Behind’.
The retired right-handed batter has praised India’s bowlers, and especially the way Jasprit Bumrah bowled, for his figures of 3/14 in his four overs. When Pakistan was running away with the game, it was Bumrah who came and managed to pull them back with the wicket of Rizwan.
“Jasprit Bumrah was the difference and Pakistan was lucky that he didn’t bowl with the new ball,” the Lahore-born lauded the bowler.
When it comes to how Rohit Sharma, India captain managed the field placements and his bowlers, Mudassar Nazar feels that the bowling changes of Rohit were quite phenomenal, besides talking about how it wasn’t surprising to see these results of the Pakistan side, especially after the way they have played against the second-string teams of New Zealand and England.
“Rohit’s captaincy was also excellent, the bowling changes he made were good,” the veteran remarked during the show. “If you see the combination of the Pakistan cricket team and the results they have produced against New Zealand’s C team, Ireland and then England, we shouldn’t be surprised.”
He also pointed out that the moment the United States of America beat Bangladesh coming into the T20 World Cup, it was quite known that the 2009 champions would struggle against the co-host side.
“We were surprised when we lost to the USA. But if you see the way the US have played against Bangladesh, you can get an idea that Pakistan are going to struggle against the US team in the World Cup,” Mudassar Nazar reflected.
When it comes to the all-rounders of the team, the 68-year-old has slammed the management for using ‘pseudo all-rounders’ in the playing eleven.
“There is no substance in this team. Two openers, they play well. Then it is hit and miss. You can’t win big games with pseudo-all-rounders. In a pressure situation you need specialists. We need people with big heart,” Mudassar Nazar explained in the show.
“The middle order of ours, have they ever won us a tournament with the bat. They have not even won matches for their franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Then we were expecting them against Bumrah, that they will stand up, we are living far from the reality.”
The former player has also defended the new head coach Gary Kirsten to do well in the future for the Pakistan team.
“Gary Kirsten is a brilliant coach but once the tournament will get over then only he will know what is his best playing XI. He doesn’t know what his best XI is yet,” Mudassar Nazar concluded.
“He should have been appointed as coach from the New Zealand series. Now he is dependent on Azhar Mahmood and Babar Azam. He looked clueless during the Super Over and doesn’t know what should be his best three batters.”