Wasim Akram’s Candid Critique of Pakistan’s “Pathetic” Performance Against USA in T20 World Cup
The cornerstone of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup victory, Wasim Akram, did not hold back in his criticism of Pakistan’s “pathetic performance” against the USA in their recent T20 World Cup match. Akram expressed his disappointment with Pakistan’s inability to secure a win in the Super Over, suggesting it would be challenging for Babar Azam’s team to advance to the knockout stages. The match saw both teams scoring 159 in regular play, but the USA successfully defended 18 runs in the Super Over to clinch a historic victory on Thursday.
“Pathetic performance. Winning and losing are part of the game, but you need to fight until the last ball. It was bad for Pakistan cricket,” Akram told Star Sports. He added, “Pakistan will struggle to qualify for the Super Eight from here because they have to play India (on June 9) and two other strong teams (Ireland and Canada).”
Reflecting on the match, Akram pointed out that the early wickets taken by the USA were the turning point. Pakistan was struggling at 30 for three by the end of the Power Play and failed to gain momentum despite a 72-run partnership between Babar Azam and Shadab Khan for the fourth wicket.
“The turning point of the game was the way USA got early wickets. Pakistan had a small partnership between Babar and Shadab, but then no one else stepped up. The fielding was below average, and overall, Pakistan’s cricket was average,” he said.
Known for his expertise in death bowling, Akram highlighted that conceding 18 runs in the Super Over crushed Pakistan’s chances. “Playing against the USA, I was confident, as were all Pakistan supporters, that we would win after our performance in the first innings. But in the second innings, they (USA) came out to chase and getting 19 runs in the Super Over is like getting 36 runs in a Super Over. Well done, USA,” he remarked.
Akram also praised USA captain Monank Patel for his effective leadership and crucial match-winning fifty. “The moment of the day for me was the innings of USA captain Monank Patel, the way he batted and carried his bat,” he concluded.
