Pakistan’s cricket team, captained by Babar Azam, faced a stunning defeat against the United States in the T20 World Cup on Thursday, marking one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history. The US clinched the victory in a Super Over in Dallas, securing their second win of the tournament.
Reflecting on the loss, Babar Azam acknowledged Pakistan’s recurring issue of underestimating less established teams at major tournaments. “Whenever you come into any tournament, you always do the best preparation,” Babar stated. “But you can say it’s a kind of mindset, when you come up against a team like this, you relax a little. You take things a little lightly.”
He emphasized that failure to execute plans effectively can lead to defeat, regardless of the opponent. “If you don’t execute your plan against any team, then whatever team it is, they will beat you. I believe that we are not up to the mark in executing. We are doing well in preparation, but in the match, we are not executing our plans as a team.”
Babar also highlighted Pakistan’s struggle with early wicket-taking, noting the crucial 68-run partnership between the US’s Mohank Patel and Andries Gous. “We are not playing good in all three departments,” he admitted. “We are better than that in the bowling, we aren’t taking wickets in the first six overs. In the middle overs, if your spinner is not taking wickets then pressure is on us.”
Despite their efforts, Pakistan failed to secure the match in the Super Over, with Mohammad Amir conceding three wides and the US scrambling to 18-1. Pakistan’s chase faltered, culminating in Shadab Khan only managing a single from the last ball, leading to jubilant celebrations among the American team and supporters.
Pakistan now faces a critical match against arch-rivals India in New York on Sunday. The loss to the US puts them at risk of an early exit from the tournament, a stark contrast to their past successes as 2009 champions and 2022 finalists.