The former India opener Virender Sehwag feels that Pakistan, under the leadership of Babar Azam, may not win even on a good surface, given how much their batters have struggled in this ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America.
Pakistan came into their last game of the tournament, after failing to qualify for the second round, thanks to their back-to-back defeats in the first two games- against USA at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, where they failed to hold their nerve, while against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, they couldn’t get over the line in a 120-run chase.
Even against Canada, where they registered their first victory of the season, it took them so much hard work in a low-scoring encounter, where they could have gone with an aggressive mindset to polish their net run rate a little better.
‘This is why we call them unpredictable’- Virender Sehwag
Against Ireland, at the Central Broward Regional Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida, the Pakistan side displayed a great performance with the ball in hand, where they blew away the Ireland side for just 106 runs in their 20 overs, with their left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up three wickets for 22-runs, while Imad Wasim ended with 3/8 in four overs.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma And Hardik Pandya Might Be Released Ahead Of IPL 2025 Auction: Virender Sehwag
When it comes to their batting, they were at a string position, but suddenly let the position down, and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, which put them under pressure, and almost felt like they would wrap the game in the opponent’s court.
The former India player Virender Sehwag highlighted that when the Ireland side made 106 runs on that surface, hardly anyone thought that it would take the 2009 champions 19 overs to reach the finishing line.
‘We didn’t think that (Ireland) would reach 106 runs and we also didn’t think that Pakistan would take 19 overs to chase that down. What have Pakistan done here, I don’t get it.’ Virender Sehwag commentated during a discussion on Cricbuzz at the end of the game. ‘Yes, they won but first they let them go from 32/6 to 106 and then it wasn’t like it was a very difficult wicket or that Ireland’s bowling was so good that you had to play so carefully in the chase.’
The opener pointed out that even though he wasn’t confirmed of any dressing room issues in the Pakistan camp, those things should not have any effect on how the players play in the middle.
‘This is why we call them unpredictable, you can never if they will play well or poorly. In this World Cup, they have been poor more often. I don’t know what their dressing room is like. If things are fine between the players. That also plays a role.’ Virender Sehwag added.
The 2011 Cup-winning player for India advised the players to think about the team- Pakistan, rather than focusing on their internal groups in the dressing rooms, and players who are not happy with the captain.
‘If there are players who are unhappy with the captain or if there are two or three groups within the dressing room and so on, that also plays a role, but I say you have to keep those things to the side and think for Pakistan.’ Virender Sehwag remarked on Cricbuzz. ‘This match shouldn’t have gone on for so long. But fine, at least they won it.
Babar Azam has been quite slow, opening the batting in the powerplay, along with Mohamad Rizwan, as the 45-year-old believes that the 2007-runner up of the tournament should look to get batters with better strike rate.
‘Now Babar Azam and the others have to go back and think about what the way forward is in the T20 format. This team may not be able to win matches against a good team even when they get a good wicket. They have to play differently from the way that Babar Azam plays if they want to play in the next T20 World Cup, that is for sure.’ Virender Sehwag, one of the brutal batters of his time reflected.
‘There are a few players who play with the same strike rate which is not good enough for T20. They have to find those players with high strike rates, whether it be from the PSL or domestic cricket. And those players have to be given chances.’ The Delhi player concluded.
Pakistan will play their next T20I series in Australia, in a three-match series, starting from November 14, at the Gabba in Brisbane.
