Babar Azam reflects on Pakistan's underperformance in World Cup campaign - Cricket Winner

Less than two years ago, in November 2022, Babar Azam stood on the roof of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, setting his eyes on the coveted T20 World Cup trophy. His team ended up as the runners-up in that tournament, a remarkable feat considering their early losses to India and Zimbabwe. Their journey to the final was a testament to their grit and perseverance.

However, in this year’s tournament, that same determination was noticeably absent as the previous edition’s finalists were eliminated in the group stage, plagued by repeated batting failures in the bowling-friendly conditions of the US.

Batting struggles in critical matches

In both the losses to the USA and India, Pakistan’s batters struggled significantly. In a stunning Super Over finish against the USA, they started poorly before recovering to post 159. In a small chase against India, they collapsed dramatically from 73/2 to 102/7, squandering two valuable points. The subsequent wins against Canada and Ireland, despite brief batting wobbles, were insufficient as they finished third in their group behind the two teams they lost to.

“We did not play well as a team,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said in his last press conference at the tournament on June 16. “It’s not that we lost because of one person. As a team, we lost. As a team we were not able to click. Sometimes we did well with our bowling but we did not do well in batting. The pitches here – you saw that they helped the fast bowlers a little. But I think our batting did not click,” he added.

Recent success and sudden decline

Pakistan has been relatively successful in T20 cricket in recent years, reaching the semifinals of the 2021 T20 World Cup and making it to the finals of both the T20 World Cup and the Asia Cup in 2022. Babar Azam reiterated that the team, which achieved those feats, failed to perform collectively this year.

“When the games were in our hands – we lost wickets because of which we lost two crucial matches. We were going ahead and the pressure was on the other team. But when you lose back-to-back wickets, you know the pressure builds. There are some dot balls, where you have to build partnerships. When the pressure builds, you take chances. Today, you saw that we were going easily, but then the back-to-back wickets fell. There was a little pressure and we took the game deep,” Azam said.

Throughout the tournament, pitches and conditions across most venues favored bowlers, leading to frequent low team totals. The pitch in New York, in particular, came under scrutiny for uneven bounce and carry, raising concerns about player safety. Azam pointed out that batting was tough throughout the tournament and criticized the quality of the pitches.

“We have played the Asia Cup final, the World Cup final, and the semi-final as well. But we were not able to finish. But we should also see that we have achieved those things. Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve it this time. We didn’t qualify. We accept it as a team.

“I as a captain and as a team accept that we didn’t play the same cricket. We couldn’t perform the same way. The expectations that we had made of the team, the way our senior players were, we didn’t execute. We couldn’t deliver at different times. So, we accept that as a player and as a captain, I don’t want to blame anyone. I don’t want to point out that it’s their fault. It’s the fault of all the 15 players.

“As a team, we did not play. We are losing as a team. I am not saying this because of one person. You are pointing out that because of the captain… I cannot play in every player’s place. There are 11 players and each of them has a role. That’s why they came here to play the World Cup. I think we as a team have not been able to apply, follow and finish things. We have to settle down and accept that we didn’t play well as a team,” Azam said.

“That’s why I left it and I announced it myself”

The captaincy in Pakistan has been a revolving door, with Azam being reinstated as the white-ball captain in March this year after fast bowler Shaheen Afridi led the T20I side for a solitary series in January. The underwhelming World Cup campaign has now put pressure on Azam and his leadership once again.

Reflecting on the campaign, Azam acknowledged the collective failure of the team and emphasized the need for improvement. “We just failed to perform as a collective this year,” he stated, highlighting the disparity between their recent successes and the current disappointment.

“About captaincy – when I had left it, I thought that I shouldn’t be doing it now, that’s why I left it and I announced it myself [last November]. Then when they gave it back to me, it was the decision of the PCB. When I go back, we will discuss all the things that happened here. And if I have to leave the captaincy, I will tell you openly. I will not announce anything behind the scenes. Whatever happens, will happen in front of you. But for now, I have not thought about it. The decision is of the PCB,” he added.

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As Pakistan looks ahead, the focus will be on rebuilding and addressing the issues that led to their early exit from the T20 World Cup.