Cricket

Pakistan's T20 World Cup Woes Deepen Amidst Accusations and Internal DiscordPakistan's disappointing start to the ICC T20 World Cup continued with a six-run defeat to arch-rivals India, leaving their Super Eight hopes hanging in the balance. The loss has sparked a flurry of accusations and hints of internal discord within the team.Former captain Salim Malik has pointed the finger at all-rounder Imad Wasim, accusing him of deliberately wasting balls during Pakistan's chase of 120 runs. Wasim's slow-paced innings saw him take 23 deliveries to score just 15 runs, a move that Malik believes hindered Pakistan's run chase."You look at his (Wasim) innings and it appears as if he was wasting balls, not scoring runs, and making things difficult in the run-chase," Malik said on the 24 News channel.Adding to the controversy, another former captain, Shahid Afridi, hinted at internal discord within the team, suggesting that some players have issues with skipper Babar Azam. Afridi emphasized the crucial role of a captain in maintaining team unity and morale."A captain brings everyone together; either he spoils the team environment or he builds the team. Let this World Cup finish, and I will speak openly," Afridi said.Afridi also noted his close relationship with left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi, his son-in-law, who was removed as T20 captain just before the World Cup.Pakistan's team has come under fire following consecutive losses to the USA and India, putting their Super Eight chances in jeopardy. Pakistan's hopes now rely on winning convincingly against Canada and Ireland, while also hoping for losses by the USA to India and Ireland. Even if these conditions are met, the final qualification will likely depend on the net run rate.The team's poor performance has raised questions about the leadership of Babar Azam and the overall team chemistry. The accusations and hints of internal discord have further fueled the controversy surrounding Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign.

Pakistan Replaces Azam Khan with Imad Wasim for Crucial India ClashIn a highly anticipated Group A match of the Men's T20 World Cup, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The toss was delayed by 30 minutes due to slight rain, with cloudy and windy conditions prevailing.Pakistan made a significant change to their playing eleven, bringing in all-rounder Imad Wasim in place of batter Azam Khan. Wasim returns after recovering from a side strain that kept him out of Pakistan's surprising loss to co-hosts USA in their tournament opener.Pakistan captain Babar Azam explained the decision to bowl first, citing the weather and moisture in the pitch. "We will bowl first because of the weather and moisture in the pitch," he said.India, led by Rohit Sharma, remained unchanged from their opening match victory against Ireland. Sharma also expressed his preference for bowling first, acknowledging the need to assess the conditions and determine a competitive score."We need to assess how conditions play and come up with an idea of what a good score is," Sharma said. "Those games have helped us assess conditions here."The match will be played on the same pitch that hosted the Netherlands-South Africa clash on Saturday, which the Proteas won by four wickets. India holds a 6-1 head-to-head record against Pakistan in Men's T20 World Cup meetings, with the last five matches being won by the chasing side.

Pakistan's hopes of a strong start to their T20 World Cup campaign have been dealt a blow with the ongoing injury concerns surrounding all-rounder Imad Wasim. Despite initial reports suggesting a precautionary absence, it has emerged that Imad's rib injury is more severe than initially disclosed.The 33-year-old missed Pakistan's opening match against USA, which they narrowly lost in the Super Over, and his absence has left a significant void in the team's balance. In his stead, Pakistan opted for Azam Khan and Shadab Khan as their specialist spinners, but both struggled to make an impact.Azam was dismissed for a golden duck, while Shadab's bowling performance drew criticism from captain Babar Azam. The lack of wicket-taking options from the spin department has been a major concern for Pakistan, who have traditionally relied on their spinners to control the middle overs.Imad's injury history is a cause for concern. He has battled a chronic knee injury throughout his career, which has limited his ability to play longer formats. Ahead of the 2019 World Cup, he was given extra time to pass a fitness test due to his knee injury.In 2023, Imad initially retired from international cricket but returned earlier this year with the sole aim of participating in this World Cup. However, his participation in the tournament is now in doubt, and his absence would be a major setback for Pakistan.With Pakistan already facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Super 12 stage, Imad's potential unavailability could prove to be a decisive factor in their hopes of progressing in the tournament.

Pakistan's all-rounder Imad Wasim will miss the team's opening match of the T20 World Cup against the United States on Thursday due to a persistent side strain, according to captain Babar Azam. Azam stated that Wasim has not fully recovered from the injury and is under observation."The medical staff is monitoring him, and he will be available for the remaining matches in the World Cup," Azam told the media.Wasim, a seasoned T20 specialist, was brought out of retirement two months ago in anticipation of the World Cup. The selectors believed his bowling style would be effective on the slow pitches in the Americas.Along with Wasim, left-arm spinner Mohammed Amir was also selected for the ICC event, but both players have been used sparingly in the lead-up series against New Zealand, Ireland, and England."The pitches appear good for pace bowlers, and we have a very good pace attack, so the pitches seem good for us," said Azam.Azam emphasized that the team has no issues with the facilities provided at the venues in the USA."It is okay. We have no complaints and have seen all this before. Not playing any warm-up games before our first match could have been a problem, but we have come here after playing some cricket. It is not an issue for us," he said.Babar recently became the second batter after Virat Kohli to surpass the 4000-run mark in T20Is. Kohli leads the chart with 4037 runs, while Babar is a close second with 4023 runs.However, the 29-year-old Lahore native stated that his focus is not on individual records but on playing according to the team's requirements and the match situation."We are here to try to win the World Cup. I am not here thinking about personal records. What matters is that the team does well and we succeed in winning the World Cup. We have learnt from our past mistakes," he added.In a lighter vein, Babar said the pressure on him for tickets for the match against India was more than the match itself."They are so many people asking for tickets, the pressure is immense," he said with a smile.

Amidst reports of a rift between Pakistan captain Babar Azam and allrounder Imad Wasim, a video has emerged from the team's training session in Ireland that has fueled speculation. The footage shows Wasim confronting Azam on the sidelines of the net session at the Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin.The incident has raised concerns about the team's unity ahead of a crucial T20I series against Ireland and England. Wasim has previously denied any disagreement with Azam, who was reappointed as captain after stepping down following Pakistan's disappointing performance at the ODI World Cup last year."We have no issues with Babar. He is the captain of the team and we are all supporting him. Maybe Babar has become captain again because he will lead us to the (T20) World Cup trophy," Wasim was quoted as saying in a report on 'geosuper.tv'.However, the video suggests otherwise. Wasim appears animated and confrontational as he engages in a heated discussion with Azam. The incident has raised questions about the team's leadership and the potential impact on their performance in the upcoming matches.Pakistan will play three T20Is in Ireland, followed by a four-match T20I series in England. After that, the team will travel to the US for the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the West Indies from June 2 to 29.India and Pakistan are clubbed in Group A and will face each other on June 9 in New York. The outcome of the match could have significant implications for both teams' chances of advancing to the knockout stages.The video of the confrontation between Azam and Wasim has cast a shadow over Pakistan's preparations for the T20 World Cup. The team's unity and leadership will be crucial factors in their quest for success in the tournament.

Imad Wasim's Exclusion from Pakistan T20I Team Raises QuestionsFormer Pakistan cricketers have expressed their bewilderment over the omission of all-rounder Imad Wasim from the team for the first T20I against New Zealand. Wasim, who recently came out of retirement, was expected to play a key role in the team's preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup.Despite his impressive performances in domestic cricket, Wasim was left out of the playing eleven, sparking criticism from former players. Iqbal Qasim, a former Test player, questioned the logic behind the decision, stating that Wasim should have played instead of Shadab Khan.Mohsin Khan, a former player and chief selector, emphasized the importance of giving players like Wasim and Mohammad Amir, who also came out of retirement, ample playing time to regain their form. He believes that they need to overcome the "rustiness" of not playing international cricket for an extended period.It is speculated that the decision to exclude Wasim may be related to his strained relationship with Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Azam is said to have left the Karachi Kings franchise in the Pakistan Super League due to Wasim's presence.Former captain Mohammad Hafeez has claimed that Wasim retired from international cricket after feeling mistreated by the team management, including Azam.Despite the controversy surrounding Wasim's omission, cricket analyst Omar Alavi believes that Azam must make decisions based on merit and situational requirements. He emphasized that Azam has a second chance to create his legacy as Pakistan captain and must ensure that selections are made fairly.Pakistan will face New Zealand, Ireland, and England in a series of T20Is in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. The team will be looking to maximize their preparations and build momentum ahead of the tournament.

Pakistan's versatile all-rounder Imad Wasim has reversed his retirement from T20I cricket, making himself available for selection ahead of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.In a statement on social media, Wasim expressed his delight at declaring his availability for Pakistan in the T20I format leading up to the World Cup. However, he clarified that his availability does not extend beyond the tournament, which begins on June 1.Wasim's return to the international fold comes after a successful 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) season, where he played a pivotal role in Islamabad United's title triumph. His impressive performances, including a five-wicket haul in the final, sparked speculation about his potential return to the national team.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly approached Wasim earlier this week to reconsider his retirement, and the all-rounder agreed without any conditions.Wasim's all-round abilities and his impressive record in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) make him a valuable asset for Pakistan. In the CPL, he has amassed 61 wickets at an average of 18.88 and an economy rate of 6.20.With the majority of the 2024 T20 World Cup scheduled to be played in the West Indies, Wasim's experience in the CPL could prove invaluable for Pakistan.While Wasim is not currently interested in a central contract, his availability until the T20 World Cup represents a mutually beneficial arrangement for all parties involved.Wasim has represented Pakistan in 66 T20Is, scoring 486 runs at a strike rate of 131.70 and claiming 65 wickets with an economy of 6.26. His return to the national team is expected to bolster Pakistan's chances of success in the upcoming T20 World Cup.