Younis Khan Defends Pakistan's Babar Azam, Rizwan, and Afridi Amid T20 World Cup Backlash

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.

Tags: #PakistanCricket, #T20WorldCup, #BabarAzam, #MohammadRizwan, #ShaheenShahAfridi