Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif defended the Pakistani players, attributing their T20 World Cup exit to challenging pitch conditions at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif defended the Pakistani players following their exit from the 20-team T20 World Cup, which was confirmed after rain washed out the game between the USA and Ireland. Despite the weather, Pakistan had themselves to blame for losing two close matches against the USA and arch-rivals India, both from winning positions.
Latif emphasized that blaming the players alone would be unfair, noting that they fought hard but struggled due to unfavorable pitch conditions at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. He criticized the tracks, stating they weren’t suitable for the T20 World Cup, making it difficult for top-order batters from most teams to score freely.
“You can’t blame the Pakistan players for everything. They fought well but their efforts were neutered by the pitch conditions. They should have won both the US and India games but the conditions were beyond their control. It can happen, runs have been difficult to come. See, even a batsman like Virat Kohli is not getting runs,” Latif said to Cricbuzz.
Due to the washout, the USA advanced along with India to the Super 8 from Group A, leaving Pakistan to rue missed opportunities. Their batting performances against the USA and India came under heavy scrutiny, as they managed a below-par 159 against the USA, losing in a Super Over, and failed to chase down a modest 120 against India.
Pakistan’s shock exit has further led to discussions about internal “groupings” within the team and the failure of senior players to deliver during crucial moments of the tournament. Rashid Latif also criticized Pakistan’s batting, noting the absence of significant individual contributions.
“Individual half centuries are not many. No team has scored a half-century against teams like Afghanistan. If a batsman scores a half century the team ends up winning more often than not. Rishabh Pant made 42 and India beat Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan will now face Ireland in their final league game on Sunday, June 16, in Florida with nothing but pride at stake.
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Last Updated on June 16, 2024
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