Dinesh Karthik criticized Babar Azam for his straightforward comments after Pakistan’s loss to the USA, urging leaders to maintain diplomacy in public appearances and support their players.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam expressed frustration after his team’s loss to the United States of America (USA) in their opening match of the 2024 T20 World Cup at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, June 6. Despite Babar’s top score of 44 runs off 43 deliveries, Pakistan fell short, ultimately losing in a Super Over.
In the post-match press conference, Babar criticized the team’s performance, highlighting their failure to capitalize on the first six overs both with bat and ball. He lamented the lack of partnerships at crucial moments and acknowledged the team’s inability to finish strong.
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Former cricketer Dinesh Karthik criticized Babar for his blunt remarks and demeanor following Pakistan’s loss to the United States in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Karthik emphasized the importance of diplomacy in leadership, suggesting that Babar should support his players publicly despite internal frustrations.
“As a leader, you have to find ways to be diplomatic in press conferences and post-match ceremonies. Somehow, find a way to back your players. Inside the four walls, in the dressing room, you can say what you want and have a go at a few people, but you need to find a way to back those players,” Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
“It is one thing being honest, but it also one thing trying to understand what the dynamics of your team are. He is just newly-appointed as a captain, a lot of the players are vulnerable right now, he needs to be saying things like, ‘Yes, it was a bad day, we could have probably done somethings better;. That is the kind of language to be used. But to say that we played badly and lost to many wickets, it is firstly stating the obvious, and secondly, if any Pakistan player reads it, which they will be, it feels like he is letting you down,” he added.
Karthik also pointed out concerns with Babar’s on-field behavior, noting that criticizing bowlers publicly may harm team morale. He suggested that expressing disappointment is acceptable but should be done in a way that doesn’t add to players’ nerves.
“The way he has conducted himself on the field, where he is having a go at the bowlers when boundaries go, is not a sign of a good leader. Showing disappointment is fine, but there is a way to show it, where the players do not get more nervous than they are already on the field. With all the turmoil that happens thanks to the board, I think they have been a really unsettled as a unit,” Karthik said.
Next, Pakistan will face Team India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9.
Last Updated on June 7, 2024
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