Cricket

Ahmed Shehzad, a former Pakistan international batsman, has once again launched a scathing attack on Pakistan captain Babar Azam, accusing him of poor leadership and hindering the growth of young players.Shehzad's criticism came on the heels of Pakistan's disappointing performance at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they are on the verge of elimination. During an appearance on the Pakistan talkshow "Haarna Mana Hai" (Losing Is Not An Option!), Shehzad mocked Babar's tag of "King" by calling him a "Fake King."Shehzad presented a humiliating comparison between his and Babar's T20 World Cup stats. Babar has scored 517 runs in 16 games at a poor strike rate of 112, while Shehzad has slammed 250 runs in 9 games at a strike rate of 126, including a century."I feel I could've done better than those stats. But your (Babar's) stats are worse than mine," said Shehzad. "You've faced 205 balls in powerplays in T20 World Cups, but you haven't managed to hit one six!"Shehzad also accused Babar of sacrificing good performers in domestic cricket to adjust his friends in the team. He specifically blamed Babar for mishandling 22-year-old batsman Saim Ayub's development."It was your responsibility to take care of Saim Ayub's development, but now his career is over at such a young age. People are criticising Ayub after just 25 games," said Shehzad.Shehzad urged Babar to take accountability for his and the team's poor performances. "The least you can do now is raise your hand, accept that you had the support and apologize for not being able to deliver a trophy for Pakistan," said Shehzad.

Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign has been a rollercoaster of emotions, marked by both disappointment and heartwarming moments. After a shocking Super Over defeat to USA in their opener, Pakistan suffered another humiliating loss to arch-rivals India in a low-scoring thriller. However, they managed to keep their Super 8s hopes alive with a victory against Canada.Amidst the team's struggles, skipper Babar Azam's gesture of kindness towards a young fan has won hearts. After the victory against Canada, Babar revealed that he had met the same boy during the India match, where he was crying. This time, Babar gifted him his gloves, leaving the boy overjoyed."I met this kid during the India vs Pakistan match. After the anthem, he came to me and started crying. I got worried. I asked if anyone said anything to him. Then he said he is a fan," Babar told presenter Sanjana Ganesan."He did the same thing today (against Canada). He was standing in the line and crying. We all have experienced this. When you meet a star, the excitement is at a different level," he added.Babar explained that he was impressed by the boy's dedication and wanted to give him something memorable. "I thought if he is such a big fan then I should also have some responsibility to give him something as a gift. Something memorable. I had my gloves in my hands. I gave him that. He got very excited and started crying even more. I told him not to worry. Then, while crying, he requested me to sign it," said Babar.Pakistan's T20 World Cup journey will conclude with their last Group A match against Ireland on Sunday in Florida. Despite their setbacks, Babar Azam's gesture serves as a reminder that even in the midst of adversity, sportsmanship and kindness can prevail.

Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram has called for immediate changes to the national team following their disappointing loss to India in the 2024 T20 World Cup. In a video posted on his social media account, Akram expressed his frustration with the team's performance and urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take action."Enough is enough. We need changes now. Enough with you guys. Bring a new team, bring 6-7 new players. If we lose, we'll lose with them," said Akram.Akram criticized the team's lack of situational awareness and their inability to chase down a modest target on a pitch that was conducive to batting. He also questioned the role of captain Babar Azam and coach Saqlain Mushtaq in guiding the team."The captain and the coach cannot teach you situational awareness and how to chase! How long can they be spoon-fed?" blasted Akram.Akram's comments come after Pakistan's six-run defeat to India, which left them on the brink of elimination from the tournament. Despite a win against Canada, Pakistan's qualification hopes now rest on India or USA losing their remaining games.PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also acknowledged the need for changes following the India loss. "The team requires major surgery," Naqvi said.Akram's call for new players and a fresh approach has been echoed by many fans and experts. Pakistan has struggled to find consistency in recent years, and their performance in the T20 World Cup has been particularly disappointing.With the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2026, the PCB has a crucial opportunity to rebuild the team and address the issues that have plagued them in recent years. Akram's comments have sparked a much-needed debate about the future of Pakistan cricket, and it remains to be seen whether the PCB will heed his advice and make the necessary changes.

Pakistan Cricket Team: Allegations of Rift Between Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi DismissedAmidst Pakistan's disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024, rumors of a rift between captain Babar Azam and star pacer Shaheen Afridi have surfaced. However, Pakistan assistant coach Azhar Mahmood has vehemently denied these claims.Following Pakistan's consecutive defeats against the United States and India, legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram alleged that all was not well within the team, with Babar and Shaheen reportedly not speaking to each other. However, Mahmood has refuted these allegations, stating that the two players are "definitely talking" and remain close friends."Wasim (Akram) must have said that, but I don't know. I didn't see it. Shaheen and Babar are definitely talking, they are good friends. They are both part of the Pakistan team," Mahmood said during a pre-match press conference.Akram had been highly critical of the Babar Azam-led side after their defeat against India. "There are players who don't want to talk to each other. This is international cricket, and you play for your country. Make these players sit at home," Akram said on Star Sports.Mahmood acknowledged that Pakistan has not performed to its potential in the tournament thus far and took responsibility for the team's performances. "Now when you ask who will take responsibility – I think we all, as a team management will take responsibility. We have not lost because of anyone, it is our mistake too," he said."We are not hiding any players, everyone is there. Everything is there. I said earlier that we are a team. Obviously, we're sitting here, and it's our responsibility. We're not delivering. That's why I'm sitting here. Yesterday, Gary was sitting here. So definitely, it's not like we're hiding a player. They're part of us," he added.Pakistan will face Canada in their next Group A match, hoping to turn their fortunes around and qualify for the Super 12 stage.

Pakistan's dismal performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup has drawn severe criticism from former players, with Imran Nazir and Ahmed Shehzad lambasting the team for their lack of courage and poor statistics.After losing to co-hosts USA and arch-rivals India, Pakistan's hopes of advancing to the Super 12 stage are hanging by a thread. Nazir, a former Pakistan batter, has slammed the team for making excuses after their defeats."I am sorry but I am forced to say that cricket is a game of the fearless. I haven't seen anyone as coward as this team," Nazir said on a Pakistani TV show. "There are no excuses in cricket. No matter what pitch or conditions you are getting, you are bound to perform."Nazir also criticized the team's lack of a solid middle order, saying, "In a team, where there's no middle-order batter who can rotate the strike, how can you expect that team to win the World Cup?"Ahmed Shehzad, another former Pakistan batter, echoed Nazir's sentiments, highlighting Babar Azam's poor record in big competitions. "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," Shehzad said. "What should I do with this king who can't win us the match?"Pakistan's last hope of salvaging their World Cup campaign lies in their final Group A match against Ireland on Sunday. However, with their confidence shattered and their batting lineup struggling, the team faces an uphill battle to secure a victory.

Pakistan's dismal performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup has drawn sharp criticism from former players, including Salman Butt. The team's hopes of reaching the 'Super 8' stage now hinge on favorable results from other matches.After a shocking defeat to USA in their opening match, Pakistan lost to India despite being in a commanding position for much of the game. They managed to beat Canada in their third match, but with only two points from three games, they need to win their remaining match against Ireland and hope for other results to go their way.Butt has slammed captain Babar Azam and his team for their lackluster performances. He questioned their self-proclaimed status as "king" and "world's best fast bowler," referring to Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, respectively."Are you able to win a match on your own? Is there a standing of our team?" Butt asked. "It's similar to those YouTube thumbnails that you are enticed to click and open once."Butt also criticized the influence of social media campaigns on decision-making in Pakistan cricket. "Besides its good things, one bad thing about social media is that you can get anything done by paid campaigns...your decisions are based on paid campaigns," he said.He urged the team to "stay who they are" and focus on winning matches before making grand proclamations. "First win a match, a big tournament, fight it out to win against a big team, finish a match single-handedly, then think what you want to proclaim," Butt added.Butt highlighted the mental toughness of the Indian team, which he believes Pakistan lacks. "India is very different from us...Their mental superiority is winning them matches...They don't feel the pressure now like they used to earlier," he said."But we haven't grown. There are changes in cricket every year, but we are not growing with that, so we are getting weaker. The other teams are growing, mentally as well."

Pakistan's skipper Babar Azam expressed relief after their first victory in the T20 World Cup, acknowledging the challenging pitch conditions that hindered their chase of 107 runs. Having suffered consecutive defeats against USA and India, the match against Canada was crucial for Pakistan's hopes of advancing in the tournament.Chasing a modest target, Pakistan relied on Mohammad Rizwan's unbeaten 53 and Babar's 33 to secure the win in 17.3 overs. "It's good for us, we needed this win," Babar said at the post-match presentation. "We started well with the bowling, in the first six overs we knew we had to be up to the mark."Babar admitted that they had aimed to surpass USA's net run rate by completing the chase before 14 overs, but the pitch made it difficult. "It was in our mind to win before 14 overs, but the pitch made it difficult," he explained.India currently leads Group A with two wins, followed by USA with the same number of victories. Pakistan has climbed to third place with two points from three games, ahead of Canada and Ireland.Canada's captain, Saad Bin Zafar, expressed disappointment with the result, citing the challenging batting conditions. "Definitely, it was a bit disappointing," he said. "We wanted to play a positive brand of cricket, but I think the wicket was not very helpful. It was difficult to bat early on - not a good toss to lose. We were about 25 to 30 runs short."

Pakistan's assistant coach, Azhar Mahmood, has downplayed concerns over the strike rate of star batters Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan, emphasizing that the team's primary issue lies in losing wickets after establishing partnerships.Ahead of Pakistan's crucial T20 World Cup match against Canada, Mahmood addressed the media, stating that the team's batting performance has been hindered by a lack of sustained partnerships. "The problem is that your partnership is established, you get a platform set, and then in the ten to fifteen over period, you lose your wickets," he explained.Mahmood highlighted the importance of maintaining partnerships in T20 cricket, as they can significantly impact the outcome of a match. "If you get a partnership, because T20 format is a short format - so even if you set one partnership it can win the game. You have control of the game," he said.Despite Pakistan's disappointing start to the tournament, losing to both the USA and India, Mahmood remains optimistic. He acknowledged that the team needs a bit of luck in a big tournament and that their strategies have not yet yielded the desired results."It is very important - shot selection and decision-making. If you take the right decision at the right time, that will benefit you. It can come from nerves, or the fear of failure also - because until you do not have calmness - and until your body is tight, your decisions will be wrong," he said.Mahmood also dismissed suggestions that Pakistan's players are not following proper dietary plans, emphasizing that all teams in the world adhere to such regimens. "When we lose, we feel that we are not following this, we are not following that. If we had won, you would not be asking me this question," he added.

Pakistan's assistant coach, Azhar Mahmood, has vehemently denied allegations of a rift between captain Babar Azam and star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. Mahmood dismissed former captain Wasim Akram's claims that the duo is not on speaking terms as "false."Mahmood criticized those who believe cricketers should be isolated and dwell on their losses. He emphasized that the team's recent six-run defeat to India was a collective failure, not the fault of any individual.Rumors of a divide within the Pakistan team, with one faction led by Babar and another by Shaheen, have been circulating. However, Mahmood refuted these claims, stating that Shaheen and Babar are close friends and integral members of the team.The team management has taken responsibility for the players' absence from press conferences after losses. Mahmood explained that the support staff is equally accountable for addressing the media and providing explanations for the team's performances."We are not hiding any players," Mahmood asserted. "We are a team, and we are not delivering. That's why I'm sitting here."Mahmood also addressed the controversy surrounding a video showing Babar, Wahab Riaz, and himself dining at a New York restaurant after Pakistan's defeat to India. He defended the players' actions, stating that they needed time to relax and de-stress after a disappointing loss."We are a very emotional nation," Mahmood said. "If you lose a match, your life is not over. Our players are not like that. They need time to relax their minds."Mahmood emphasized that the team is focused on improving their performance and preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024. He urged fans to support the team and avoid spreading rumors that could damage team morale.