Cricket

Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup 2024 has raised questions about the team's leadership and tactics. After unimpressive displays against Ireland and England in the lead-up to the tournament, Pakistan's form was far from ideal.Despite their history of surprising performances, Pakistan's campaign began with a shock defeat to debutants USA. They then lost to India despite being in a commanding position. In their third match, they managed to beat Canada, but their fourth match against Ireland was a close call, with Pakistan nearly losing after being seven wickets down in pursuit of a modest target.Babar Azam's captaincy and batting have come under scrutiny. Indian cricket legend Virender Sehwag believes that Azam should step down as captain and even be dropped from the T20I team. Sehwag criticized Azam's lack of six-hitting ability and his conservative approach."Babar Azam is not a player who will hit sixes. He only hits sixes when he is set and spinners are operating," Sehwag said. "I have never seen him using his feet to fast bowlers or hitting sixes over the covers; it's not his game as he plays safe cricket by hitting down the ground."Sehwag believes that Pakistan needs a captain who can provide more firepower in the powerplay overs. "As a leader, you have to think whether this game is useful for his team. If not, then demote yourself and send someone who can play big shots in the six overs and get the team 50-60 runs," he said.Pakistan's struggles have also been attributed to their lack of depth in the batting lineup. The team has relied heavily on Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, but they have not received enough support from the middle order.With the T20 World Cup 2024 now over, Pakistan must reassess their approach and make changes if they want to be competitive in future tournaments.

In the final group match of the men's T20 World Cup 2024, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan elected to field after winning the toss against West Indies at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.Afghanistan fielded an unchanged lineup, while West Indies made two alterations. Romario Shepherd was replaced by Obed McCoy, who was given an opportunity to play after Shepherd returned home for the birth of his second child. Shai Hope also came into the side in place of Roston Chase, bolstering the batting lineup.The match was played on a fresh pitch, with the wind expected to be a significant factor. Rashid Khan expressed his desire for his team to experience chasing a total, as they had only done so once in the tournament against Papua New Guinea.West Indies, led by Rovman Powell, opted to bat first. Their lineup featured Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, and Obed McCoy.Afghanistan's bowling attack consisted of Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, and Ibrahim Zadran.The match was crucial for both teams, as a victory would secure their place in the Super Eight stage of the tournament. Afghanistan had already qualified for the Super Eight, while West Indies needed a win to join them.

Kane Williamson, the skipper of New Zealand's cricket team, has expressed uncertainty about his future in the T20I format after the team's disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup. Williamson, who will turn 34 in August, has been a cornerstone of New Zealand's successful white-ball team for over a decade, leading them to at least the semi-finals in seven of the ten consecutive World Cups he has played in across both 20- and 50-over formats since 2011.During this period, New Zealand has reached three finals, with Williamson's notable contributions including a Player-of-the-Tournament performance in England in 2019 and an impressive 85 runs off 48 balls in the defeat to Australia in Dubai in 2021. However, with his long-time teammate Trent Boult having already announced that this tournament would be his last T20 World Cup, Williamson acknowledges that a transition may be on the horizon.When asked if he would still be involved in New Zealand's T20I setup in 2026, Williamson responded, "Oh, I don't know. There's a bit of time between now and then, so it's about regrouping as a side. We've got red-ball cricket over the next year basically, so it's back into some other international formats, and we'll see where things land."New Zealand's most significant victory in recent years came in the Test format in 2021, when Williamson led the team to victory over India in the World Test Championship final in Southampton. The two teams are set to face off again in a Test rematch in India later this year, with New Zealand also scheduled for a three-match home series against England in December and a four-match tour of Australia in 2026-27.These upcoming fixtures could take precedence for Williamson, who played his 100th Test earlier this year alongside another long-standing teammate, Tim Southee. Williamson is on the cusp of becoming the first New Zealand batter to reach 10,000 Test runs, currently sitting at 8743 runs.Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming believes that Williamson will be given the time he needs to determine his next move, but his priorities may have shifted as he enters the twilight of his illustrious career. "It hasn't really been questioned over here, due to his genius with the bat, but he has to make a decision now after a disappointing World Cup," Fleming said. "What does his future hold? Is it all three formats, is it franchise cricket, is it family time? He will be getting to that point where he starts making decisions that have other influences, whereas before it was cricket and cricket only."Regarding the recent T20 World Cup campaign, Williamson admitted that New Zealand had been slow to adapt to the challenges they faced in the Caribbean, where Afghanistan and the West Indies proved to be formidable opponents in a competitive Group C. "It took a long time to start and then, in a matter of days, we were not in contention, which was frustrating," Williamson said. "We played against a couple of very strong sides who are very well equipped in these conditions and unfortunately that was the difference in our first two games."Despite the disappointment, Williamson believes there are valuable lessons to be learned for the players who will return to the Caribbean in the future. "All in all it's frustrating, but there'll be learnings for the players that come back to this part of the world. These conditions have been somewhat challenging, so they are some good experiences to have going forward."

India Intensifies Preparations for T20 World Cup Super 8s in CaribbeanThe Indian cricket team has arrived in the Caribbean for the Super 8s stage of the T20 World Cup, determined to make a strong impact after a mixed performance in the group stage. The team held an intense practice session in New Delhi, with key players Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav putting in extra effort to prepare for the crucial matches ahead.Kohli, who struggled for form in New York, scoring only 1, 4, and 0 in the group stage, was seen working on his batting technique in the nets. He focused on lofted drives and pull shots, aiming to regain his rhythm and make a significant contribution in the Super 8s.Jadeja, who has yet to make a notable impact with either bat or ball, also participated in the practice session. The all-rounder was only required to bat once and was not heavily relied upon for his bowling in New York, but he is expected to play a more prominent role in the Caribbean conditions, which favor spinners.Kuldeep, who has not featured in the playing eleven thus far, is also likely to be included in the team for the Super 8s. The left-arm spinner is expected to be a key weapon for India in the Caribbean, where pitches have traditionally favored spinners.The entire Indian squad participated in the practice session, eager to make the most of the opportunity after not having played since completing the New York leg on June 12. Poor weather conditions in Fort Lauderdale prevented any training or play, making this session all the more important.The pitches in New York were heavily criticized for being slow and unresponsive, but the surfaces in the Caribbean are expected to be more conducive to high-scoring matches. In the tournament so far, a score of 200, considered par in the IPL, has only been surpassed twice, both times in the Caribbean. Even a total of 150 has often proven to be competitive.Indian captain Rohit Sharma was seen inquiring about the condition of the training pitches, given the importance of adapting to the local conditions. Kohli and Jadeja spent a significant amount of time in the nets, working on their batting techniques. Rishabh Pant, India's most impressive batter in the tournament so far, also faced deliveries from Bumrah, Hardik, Kuldeep, and Axar Patel in the nets.With the breeze blowing across the facility, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh managed to generate significant swing with the ball, indicating that the conditions in the Caribbean could be favorable for swing bowlers as well.

England and West Indies are set for a high-scoring encounter in St Lucia as they resume their six-hitting battle in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. The two teams combined for 120 sixes in their five-match T20I series in December, which West Indies won 3-2.The Daren Sammy Cricket Ground has proven to be a batting paradise, with Australia chasing down 181 against Scotland and Sri Lanka posting 201 against Netherlands in the group stage. England's players watched nervously from their hotel in Antigua as Australia pulled off the second-highest run chase of the tournament so far."It wasn't nice," said Sam Curran. "Some of us were having dinner and watching the Scotland game. It got quite close, and some of us turned it off because we got a bit nervous."England will play twice in St Lucia, against West Indies and South Africa, and they have noted how flat the pitch looks. "It looks like a really good wicket, the way guys were able to hit through the line and the way the ball was traveling," said Curran.West Indies captain Rovman Powell expects his batters to relish the truer surface after variable bounce in Guyana and Trinidad. "Tomorrow presents an opportunity here at the Daren Sammy Stadium for us as batters to get it right," he said. "It's also a better opportunity on a better wicket."This has been the lowest-scoring men's T20 World Cup out of nine, but England believe that the tournament will be "a slug-fest" on pitches that favor batting. West Indies won the six count by a margin of 64-56 in their December series, and England are looking to beat them at their own game."Sometimes it's about turning your sixes into fours as a bowler, and small things like that," said Curran. "It might sound silly, but that's where the game of cricket's going. Even if you go for a lot of runs, if you take a wicket in that over, you could change the game."The other major factor to note in St Lucia is the breeze, which has blown from the east to the west of the ground. "We have chatted as a bowling unit: in the Caribbean, the wind's a big factor," said Curran.England have some tough calls to make ahead of Wednesday's match. Liam Livingstone is a doubt due to a niggle in his side, while they must decide whether Will Jacks should come straight back in at No. 3 or whether their batting line-up is better balanced with Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook shuffling up to three and four respectively.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has taken a dig at Pakistan's disastrous T20 World Cup campaign, rating it a mere "2 out of 10." Pakistan, the runners-up in the previous edition, crashed out of the tournament after losing their opening match to tournament debutants USA and suffering a defeat against arch-rivals India. They managed to register wins against Canada and Ireland, but it was too little too late.Pakistan's batting woes were evident throughout the tournament, with the team failing to chase down modest targets and struggling to post competitive totals. Captain Babar Azam acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, "We couldn't finish off close games, as a team we weren't good as a team."Despite the batting struggles, Pakistan's bowling unit performed admirably, taking early wickets and restricting opposition batters. However, their efforts were ultimately overshadowed by the team's inability to score runs.Vaughan's scathing assessment of Pakistan's performance reflects the team's disappointing showing in the tournament. Pakistan's early exit has raised questions about the team's preparation and strategy, and it remains to be seen how they will address these issues ahead of future competitions.

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has hinted at the potential use of spinners in the death overs during India's ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights campaign. India will face Afghanistan in their opening Super Eight match on June 20 in Barbados.Jadeja believes that the slow and dry wickets in the West Indies will provide assistance to spinners, particularly in the middle overs. "Spinners will have help here in the middle overs. You could see spinners being used in the death overs as well," he said.Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav echoed Jadeja's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of bowlers' lengths in T20I cricket. "The spinners do get help in the West Indies... In this format, the bowlers' length becomes crucial," he said.India's squad includes four spinners: Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal. This selection suggests that the team is prepared to utilize spin bowling throughout the tournament.India will be aiming for big wins against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia in the Super Eights to qualify for the semifinals. The team is eager to end its drought for an ICC trophy since 2013's Champions Trophy and win its first T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007.

Gary Kirsten, the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team, has expressed his profound disappointment and frustration with the team's performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. In a scathing criticism, Kirsten stated that there is "no unity" within the team, and he has "never seen such a situation" throughout his extensive coaching career.Pakistan's dismal showing in the tournament culminated in a group stage exit, a far cry from their runner-up finish in the previous edition. The team's lackluster performance was marked by a shocking defeat against tournament debutants USA, followed by a loss to their arch-rivals India. Pakistan managed to salvage some pride with a consolation victory over Ireland, but it was too little, too late.According to PTI, reports from Pakistani media outlets suggest that Kirsten, who famously led India to their ODI World Cup victory in 2011, did not mince his words when assessing the team's shortcomings after their elimination from the T20 World Cup. His candid remarks underscore the urgent need for the Pakistan cricket team to address the apparent lack of cohesion and unity within their ranks if they hope to bounce back from this disappointing campaign."There's no unity in Pakistan's team. They call it a team, but it isn't a team. They aren't supporting each other; everyone is separated, left and right. I've worked with many teams, but I've never seen such a situation," Kirsten said as per reports quoting a senior scribe.According to sources cited by Geosuper.tv 4, Kirsten conveyed his dissatisfaction regarding the players' fitness levels. He also mentioned that the team's skill level is significantly lower compared to other teams worldwide. Following Pakistan's loss against India, Kirsten attributed the team's defeat to subpar decision-making on their part."Disappointing loss, that's for sure," Kirsten had said. "I knew 120 was not going to be an easy target. If India got only 120, it was always going to be not the easiest. But I think we had the game at 72 for 2 with six or seven overs left. Disappointing not to get across the line from the position we got ourselves into."Pakistan emerged victorious against Ireland by a margin of three wickets in their final encounter of the T20 World Cup on Sunday. Prior to their last group stage match, Pakistan had already been knocked out of the tournament due to their losses against the USA and India. By securing a win against Ireland, Pakistan managed to claim the third position in Group A, having achieved two victories out of their four matches played in the event.

Amidst the backlash following Pakistan's disappointing T20 World Cup exit, former captain Younis Khan has extended support to skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, hailing them as Pakistan's pride.Khan's words of encouragement come as the team faces criticism for their early elimination from the tournament. Pakistan's campaign began with a shocking defeat to debutants USA, followed by a loss to arch-rivals India. The team's hopes were dashed when the USA-Ireland match was abandoned due to rain, resulting in their earliest-ever exit from a T20 World Cup.Khan acknowledged the team's struggles but emphasized that the blame should not be solely placed on Babar Azam. "It is not just Babar Azam's fault, or the coach's. It is everyone's fault," he said. "We as a nation did not reach the semi-finals."However, Khan raised concerns about Babar's decision not to bat at the No. 3 position from the start of the tournament. He believes that both Babar and Rizwan have the ability to bat in the middle order. "If the team needs you, you should open or play at number 3," he said.Khan also highlighted the need for the team to address their batting concerns. "We speak about only 2 batters (Babar and Rizwan), can they not bat anywhere in the line-up? They can, right? They need to enhance only a little, evolve just a little (to improve their power game)," he added.Khan's comments provide a balanced perspective on Pakistan's performance, acknowledging the team's shortcomings while also recognizing the individual brilliance of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.