New Delhi,Updated: June 2, 2024 14:00 IST
Pakistan was in great form in international competitions under the captaincy of Babar Azam in 2021 and 2022. In the T20 World Cup held in those years, Pakistan reached the semi-finals and finals. Though Pakistan failed to win both the matches, they were competitive enough to put up good matches and were something to be proud of. Therefore, it came as a huge shock to the fans when they were eliminated from the group stage in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The defeat created huge drama in Pakistan cricket. The coach and captain were sacked, the support staff and selection committee were changed and Pakistan was given a new identity. But the saga lasted only a few months as Babar Azam returned as captain of the team in 2024 under the new PCB management.
But it didn’t end there. Looking to improve the team’s fitness, the PCB decided that the best way to train the players was to send them to an army camp. The Pakistan team trained at the military base in Abbottabad for the tournament, with a good mix of senior and junior players. The PCB helped Pakistan get enough game time ahead of the tournament, which saw them play T20I series against New Zealand, Ireland and England. But the results were far from ideal. Pakistan struggled against the New Zealand C team, lost one T20I against Ireland and then was soundly defeated away to England.
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More than seven months after the tournament ended, the shadow of the 2023 ODI World Cup still seems to hang over Pakistan.
The 2024 T20 World Cup may be the first time Pakistan has looked like a completely disjointed team. The appointment of Gary Kirsten as head coach with just a month to go was a good move, but it may have been a little too late for the coach to shape the team. Many have argued that Pakistan’s approach to T20Is, with two anchors at the top of the innings, is outdated. This, combined with the lack of form from the players, has made Pakistan look very poor heading into the tournament.
Pakistan are now in the US and their only hope is to stay afloat. Reaching the semi-finals this time would be a major achievement and realistically Pakistan will be hoping to avoid another disastrous defeat in this tournament like they did in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
