Pakistan player Babar Azam. (FILE Photo)
Premium batter Babar Azam stepped down as captain of Pakistan after a disappointing ODI World Cup in 2023 hosted by India. Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was made the skipper in the aftermath for the white-ball team. However, after one series against New Zealand Babar was re-appointed as the captain for the 2024 T20 World Cup co-hosted in West Indies and the United States.
“Yes, I was surprised What can I say, it’s ultimately the selector’s call. Whatever they thought was the best option, they picked and they picked the team [accordingly],” said all-rounder Imad Wasim on Babar’s re-appointment as captain to a local sports platform. “Everybody in Pakistan was surprised, not just me. So, I can’t say no that I was not surprised,” he added.
However, despite the change Pakistan had poor returns at the showpiece event. They lost to the associate nation United States and eventual champions India and failed to qualify for the next round. “Yeah, our performance wasn’t up to the mark, to be honest, and we have to accept that, including myself. So yeah, but it is what it is. I think we had a good side, but it didn’t click.” Wasim said.
Wasim during the World Cup in a press conference blamed players’ fear of failure for not being able to compete against the top teams of the world. “The problem is our team is so good, our players are so good, that we are good enough to play any kind of cricket. We haven’t tried that but the thing is you have to try that, you have to get rid of the fear of failure. In everything – batting, bowling, fielding, you have to get rid of fear of failure.
“Personnel change doesn’t change anything, just changing the mindset can change a lot of things. The same ball can be hit for a six, a four, a single, and that same ball can take a wicket and be a dot ball,” he added.
