NEW DELHI: Pakistan suffered an embarrassing first-round exit from the Twenty20 World Cup after the USA-Ireland match was called off due to rain, the earliest exit in T20 World Cup history for the 2009 champions.
Pakistan’s campaign began with a shocking defeat to debutants USA that left fans and pundits in disbelief. The team’s struggles continued with a loss to arch rivals India.
Pakistan drew criticism from all quarters for their early elimination from the tournament, with former India opener Virender Sehwag highlighting Pakistan’s failure to get within 120 runs against India on debut.
T20 World Cup 2024: Points Table | schedule
“How can you blame the rain? Even if we had won, we didn’t deserve to progress. We would have lost at the Super Eight stage. We wouldn’t have had easier opponents there. We need to realise that we don’t deserve to progress as we have lost to debutants. You can’t chase 120 against India and score 113 with wickets remaining. How can you blame the rain?” Sehwag told CriqBuzz.
The ICC often places India and Pakistan in the same group in the World Cup, and this decision is influenced by various factors, including the huge audience numbers that tune in to watch these important matches on television.
The ICC is hoping to maximise viewership and rake in big commercial revenues by pitting these two cricketing powerhouses against each other, but Sehwag believes the organisation needs to rethink its strategy.
“In 2007, neither India nor Pakistan could make it to the second round. Back then, India and Pakistan were in different groups. ICC will reconsider keeping India and Pakistan in the same group and not keep a team that can beat their own country!” Sehwag said.
Pakistan’s campaign began with a shocking defeat to debutants USA that left fans and pundits in disbelief. The team’s struggles continued with a loss to arch rivals India.
Pakistan drew criticism from all quarters for their early elimination from the tournament, with former India opener Virender Sehwag highlighting Pakistan’s failure to get within 120 runs against India on debut.
T20 World Cup 2024: Points Table | schedule
“How can you blame the rain? Even if we had won, we didn’t deserve to progress. We would have lost at the Super Eight stage. We wouldn’t have had easier opponents there. We need to realise that we don’t deserve to progress as we have lost to debutants. You can’t chase 120 against India and score 113 with wickets remaining. How can you blame the rain?” Sehwag told CriqBuzz.
The ICC often places India and Pakistan in the same group in the World Cup, and this decision is influenced by various factors, including the huge audience numbers that tune in to watch these important matches on television.
The ICC is hoping to maximise viewership and rake in big commercial revenues by pitting these two cricketing powerhouses against each other, but Sehwag believes the organisation needs to rethink its strategy.
“In 2007, neither India nor Pakistan could make it to the second round. Back then, India and Pakistan were in different groups. ICC will reconsider keeping India and Pakistan in the same group and not keep a team that can beat their own country!” Sehwag said.
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