Pakistan's T20 World Cup Woes Continue Amidst Captaincy Questions

Pakistan's disappointing performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup has sparked outrage among fans, experts, and former players. The team's narrow defeat to archrivals India has raised questions about captain Babar Azam's leadership and the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision-making.

Chasing India's modest total of 119, Pakistan appeared to be cruising towards victory, needing just 47 runs with eight wickets in hand. However, India's bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (3 for 14) led a remarkable comeback, restricting Pakistan to 113 for 7 and securing a six-run victory.

The defeat has intensified the scrutiny on Babar Azam, who has been criticized for his conservative approach and lack of aggression. Former Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad has accused Babar of bias and questioned his ability to lead the team to success.

"Ever since Babar became captain, we have been losing to mediocre teams," Shehzad said. "The kind of progress that was going on, these things were on the cards and bound to happen someday."

Shehzad also criticized the team's performance against weaker opponents, accusing them of "fooling the people" with their victories. He pointed to Babar's poor record in big tournaments, highlighting his average of 27 and strike rate of 112.

"Your (Babar) scores in big competitions...your average is 27 and strike rate is 112. And 1400 of your runs have come in a losing cause, which is at No. 3 in the world in that list. So these stats are of which king, tell me that?" Shehzad said.

The former batsman also accused Babar of favoritism, claiming that he selects players based on personal relationships rather than merit.

"You have fooled the entire public. You are making a team with your friends, keeping your friends in the team," Shehzad said.

Pakistan's hopes of advancing to the next round now rest on their upcoming match against Canada on June 11. The team will need to secure a convincing victory to keep their tournament hopes alive.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #PakistanCricket, #BabarAzam, #AhmedShehzad, #IndiaVsPakistan