Shahid Afridi Criticizes Pakistan’s Defeat

In a stunning turn of events at the T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan suffered a shocking defeat to the United States in their maiden game on Thursday. The match, held at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, concluded with Pakistan losing by five runs in the Super Over, setting off a wave of criticism and analysis.

Former cricket captain Shahid Afridi did not hold back in his assessment of the match. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Afridi described the loss as a “major blunder” and pointed to specific tactical decisions that he believes cost Pakistan the game.

“They made a huge mistake by opting for Iftikhar instead of Fakhar to play the first ball of the Super Over,” Afridi said. “The left-arm fast bowler would have suited Fakhar because of the angle of the bowling.”

Afridi questioned the decision-making process, expressing confusion over why Iftikhar was chosen to face the left-arm bowler. He also criticized Mohammad Amir’s performance in the Super Over.

“Amir bowled really well during the match, but in the Super Over, he conceded a lot of extras. He’s experienced and knows how to bowl yorkers, and the ball was reversing as well. He shouldn’t have given away so many runs,” Afridi added.

Pakistan set a target of 160 runs, which the US team managed to match, finishing their innings at 159-3. The game then moved to a Super Over, where the US provided a target of 19 runs for Pakistan. Despite their efforts, Pakistan fell short by five runs.

At the post-match presentation, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, particularly in the powerplay.

“In the first six overs, we didn’t capitalize. Back-to-back wickets always put you on the back foot. As a batter, you need to step up and build partnerships,” Babar stated.

He also pointed out the team’s failures with the ball, noting the spinners’ inability to take wickets during the middle overs. “We were not up to the mark in the first six overs with the ball. Our spinners also did not take wickets in the middle overs, so these things cost us,” he added.

Babar credited the USA team for their superior performance, acknowledging that they outplayed Pakistan in all three departments. “All credit to the USA, they played better than us in all three departments. There was a little bit of moisture in the pitch, and it was two-paced. As a professional, you need to assess the conditions,” he concluded.

Pakistan’s next match is a highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals India on June 9 in New York. The team will need to regroup and address the issues highlighted in their opening match to avoid another disappointing result.