Cricket

Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign has hit a major roadblock after consecutive losses to the United States and India. The team, once considered a formidable force in the format, now faces an uphill battle to qualify for the Super Eight stage.The Super Over defeat against the co-hosts in their opening Group A match was a major setback for Pakistan. Despite posting a competitive 159 for 7, they failed to defend the target, losing in a thrilling tiebreaker. The loss exposed Pakistan's bowling weaknesses, as the American batters took advantage of loose deliveries.The situation worsened in their second match against arch-rivals India. Pakistan's batting lineup struggled to cope with India's disciplined bowling, managing only 113 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. The Indian bowlers, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh, kept the Pakistani batters in check, conceding only 59 dot balls.Pakistan's qualification chances now hinge on winning big against Canada and Ireland, while hoping that the Americans lose heavily to India and Ireland. Even in that scenario, both teams will end on four points each, and it will boil down to which team has a better net run rate.Pakistan's dismal net run rate of -0.150 means they will need to win by comprehensive margins in their remaining matches. The team's lack of clarity in leadership and internal factions have also contributed to their struggles.Canada, on the other hand, are in a better position after winning one of their two matches. They will be looking to capitalize on Pakistan's vulnerabilities and secure a victory that could boost their own qualification hopes.Pakistan's bowlers, led by Naseem Shah and Mohammad Amir, have been a bright spot in the tournament so far. However, the team's batters need to step up and deliver if they want to revive their faltering campaign.

Pakistan's humiliating defeat to the United States in their T20 World Cup opener has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. Former players and experts have unleashed a barrage of criticism on Babar Azam's team, questioning their mentality and tactics.Kamran Akmal, a former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter, was particularly scathing in his assessment. Speaking to ARY News, Akmal became emotional as he lamented the team's dismal performance. "Our mentality is not changing," he said. "We don't understand. I was fortunate to play with players who had passion and fought till the end. But now, we've reached this point."Akmal believes that internal politics in domestic cricket has contributed to Pakistan's decline. "They're playing their own games in domestic cricket," he said. "They're bringing in players they like. By ending regional and departmental cricket, they've destroyed Pakistan cricket."Akmal pointed to India's success as an example of how to improve quality. "India is number one because they increased their teams from 36 to 43," he said. "Here, we play only eight matches a year, and not all teams participate."Pakistan's next challenge is an arch-rivalry clash against India on Sunday in New York. The pressure is mounting on Babar Azam and his team to turn things around and salvage their World Cup campaign.