DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Babar Azam of Pakistan speaks to his teammates during the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 match between USA and Pakistan at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium on June 06, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

<p>Pakistan, the runners-up of the previous season and highly rated by pundits coming into the 2024 T20 World Cup, began their campaign against the U.S. on Thursday with a disappointing and shambolic loss. It wasn’t just the defeat but the manner in which the men in green went down. Playing against a team of part-time cricketers with significantly fewer resources, Pakistan appeared mediocre, while the U.S. looked like a full-member nation. This has led many to ask, &#8220;<strong>Is Pakistan out of the Super 8 race?</strong>&#8221; The backlash was quick and severe, with fans and experts lambasting the team and the Pakistan Cricket Board across social media and news channels. No one was able to get away from the rage and criticism of people, including star players like Babar, along with emerging talents such as Azam Khan and Usman Khan. Accusations of favoritism, arrogance, and other issues have been rampant. But who is truly to blame for this unexpected and humiliating loss? Was it the batting, the bowling, the fielding, or something else?</p>



<p><strong><em><a href="https://www.caribbeancricket.org/usa-beats-pakistan-in-2024-t20-world-cup/">Review of the Pakistan vs USA Game.</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Was the Batting Performance the Real Culprit?</h2>



<p>While batting first, the Pakistani batters managed to put only 159 runs on the board in 20 overs, losing seven wickets. Stalwarts like Babar Azam, Rizwan, Fakhar, and Iftikhar all performed poorly. Although the Pakistani captain scored over 40 runs, it was the manner in which he scored them: he took 43 balls to score 44. While it wasn’t a disastrous knock, a player with his experience needs to convert these 40s into 80s and 90s. At the end of the powerplay, Pakistan was struggling at 30 for 3, with Babar reeling at 4 off 14 balls. The pitch was behaving awkwardly, offering significant support to the U.S. bowlers early on, and <a href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/2470249/pak-vs-usa-harsha-bhogle-irfan-pathan-question-babar-azams-innings">Babar’s</a> conservative approach was somewhat understandable. He did cover up for the balls lost in the powerplay, but considering his experience, it was his time to shine and rescue Pakistan from trouble. Shadab was the standout performer with the bat for Pakistan, scoring 40 off 25 balls. While the target of 160 wasn’t necessarily a bad one, one could argue Pakistan could have scored 15-20 runs more. Nonetheless, 160 is a defendable total, especially for a team whose biggest strength is their bowling, and it should have been enough against an 18th-ranked team like the USA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Is Bowling to Blame for the Defeat?</h2>



<p>As mentioned, 160 was a defendable total, but Pakistan failed to defend it. So, was the bowling the real culprit? While it’s unfair to place all the blame on the bowlers, the initial performances by Shaheen, Amir, and even Naseem in his first over were disappointing. Their poor line and length were embarrassing. However, Pakistani bowlers made an excellent comeback in the death overs. From the USA being 104 for 1 in 13 overs, they were brought down to needing 15 off the last over.</p>



<p>Haris Rauf started the final over exceptionally, conceding just three singles off the first three balls. With 12 needed from the last three balls, it looked like Pakistan&#8217;s game to lose. Unfortunately, the length struggles that plagued the Pakistani bowlers throughout the innings resurfaced. Rauf bowled a full toss on the fourth ball, which Jones dispatched for a huge six over mid-wicket. The USA needed five off the last ball, and despite Rauf’s experience, another full toss allowed the USA to hit a four over mid-off, taking the game to a Super Over. This final ball summed up the Pakistani bowlers&#8217; performance throughout the innings, leading to Pakistan&#8217;s downfall.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Poor Strategy and a Lack of Winning Attitude</h2>



<p>Amir was chosen to bowl the Super Over for Pakistan due to his excellent performance in the 19th over, which had given Pakistan a shot at winning the game. However, the Super Over unfolded much like the rest of the day. After being hit for a boundary on the first ball, Amir managed to restrict the USA from hitting any more boundaries, conceding but giving away seven runs with extras only, and only seven additional runs came off the bat of the U.S. batters. However, strategic missteps played as significant a role in the loss as the batting and bowling did. Poor fielding decisions, such as having the mid-off up on the last ball of the U.S. innings with a yorker in mind, allowed the U.S. batter to easily clear the fielder and push the game into a Super Over. Another strategic blunder was sending Iftikhar to bat against the left-arm bowler when Fakhar, who was better suited to face the left-armer, was available.</p>



<p>Additionally, the lack of energy in the Pakistani camp was evident. There was no visible leadership from the captain or any player to motivate the team after a poor delivery or a boundary. The team lacked passion and hunger, appearing mediocre and disorganized. Overthrows, extras, and dropped catches were all present, contributing to a disastrous performance typical of Pakistan on a bad day.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Reaction of Some of the Experts on Pakistan’s Dismal Performances</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Michael Vaughan Tweeted:</strong> Incredible performance by<a href="https://x.com/usacricket"> @usacricket</a> .. A performance so far so typical of Pakistan cricket ..<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/PAKvUSA?src=hashtag_click"> #PAKvUSA</a></li>



<li><strong>Wasim Akram:</strong> Pathetic performance. Winning and losing is a part of the game. But you need to fight till the last ball. It was a bad day for Pakistan cricket.</li>



<li><strong>Shoaib Akhtar:</strong> The USA was always in a commanding position. Unfortunately, Pakistan never deserved to win.</li>



<li><strong>Harsha Bhogle Tweeted:</strong> The USA have created history with a spirited performance against a pedigreed side that just did not turn up!<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/USAvsPakistan?src=hashtag_click"> #USAvsPakistan</a></li>



<li><strong>Irfan Pathan Tweeted:</strong> Discipline bowling from USA. They are all over Pakistan right now.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Is Pakistan Out of the Super 8 Race?</h2>



<p>Pakistan&#8217;s game against the USA was their first in the 2024 T20 World Cup, so writing off their chances of making the Super 8 at this stage is premature. With three more games remaining, Pakistan&#8217;s path to the Super 8 is challenging but far from impossible. Their next match is against India, where India are the clear favorites. However, a win for Pakistan would put them right back in contention. Even if they lose to India, victories in their subsequent matches against Canada and Ireland, combined with favorable outcomes in other matches, could still see them through. To address the burning question: Is Pakistan out of the Super 8 race? Absolutely not. Pakistan is still very much in the race, and given their unpredictable nature, they could very well defeat India. Group A is heating up, and we are in for some exciting weeks ahead.</p>

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