Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has questioned the Babar Azam-led unit’s chances of winning the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 following their poor display in the first T20I against Ireland.
Things didn’t go Pakistan’s way as they failed to defend the 183-run target, which Ireland chased down without much trouble in the last over with one ball to spare.
Even during the first innings, the Babar Azam-led unit was having a difficult time setting a competitive total but Iftikhar Ahmed’s prowess down the order helped them score 182 runs.
However, the match ended with Ireland emerging winners which has now raised questions over Pakistan’s preparations for the World Cup, which will begin on June 1 in the United States.
Raja, while talking on his YouTube channel, said that there is no excuse for losing against Ireland. He also addressed the captaincy change.
"You can't defend losing against Ireland. The body language looks weak, you have made combinations that have affected the team. The team was doing well, but the captaincy was changed and then the new captain was replaced with the previous one. In a World Cup year, the team has fallen to seventh position in the T20I rankings and this shows the actual condition of the team," Ramiz said on his YouTube Channel.
The former chairman of PCB then questioned how Pakistan could win the World Cup when they don’t even have their combinations right.
"How will Pakistan win the World Cup, you don't have a combination, the opening pair is not set, the set batters lose their wickets and the middle order doesn't function well. In the current situation, how will Pakistan go to the semi-finals?" Ramiz said.
Squads
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan
Schedule of remaining matches
May 12: Second T20I at Clontarf
May 14: Third T20I at Clontarf
- Ramiz Raja
