The 2022 T20 World Cup finalists, Pakistan, have found themselves in unfamiliar territory, having failed to make the Super phase of the ongoing tournament in the United States. Despite the return of veteran all-rounder Imad Wasim from retirement, the team’s campaign has been marred by a string of disappointing performances.
In their crucial match against the USA, Pakistan could not overcome the spirited challenge of the host nation, falling short by a narrow margin. This was followed by another loss to the surprise package of the tournament, the USA. With their hopes of progressing to the Super phase now hanging by a thread, Pakistan’s final league game against Ireland in Florida has become a mere formality.
Wasim, who had come out of retirement to be a part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, found himself in the middle during his team’s tense run chase against India.
However, despite needing to score at a run-a-ball up until the 15th over, Pakistan could not cross the line, with Wasim managing only 15 runs off 23 balls as the Indian bowlers stifled the Pakistani batters.
Reflecting on the performance, Wasim acknowledged his disappointment, stating, “I let the team down because usually when I go in this situation, I am very calm and finish the job. And this was my job to finish, which I couldn’t do. I will regret this, and I still regret it. But this is life. Sometimes you make mistakes.”
The veteran all-rounder, known for his composure under pressure, explained that the plan was to take the game deep, but the execution failed to materialize. “The game plan was to take the ball deep. The wicket was not good to play. It was a little difficult.
Unfortunately, my plan was going according to plan but not execution. Usually, when I bat, I take the ball deep. And if I hit any boundary on either end, the game would have been different.”
Wasim pointed out that the 17th over, in which Pakistan managed just 5 runs, proved to be a pivotal moment in the chase, as the team could not maintain the required run rate.
As Pakistan prepares to face Ireland in their final league match, the focus will shift to the team’s future and the lessons learned from this disappointing campaign. With the T20 World Cup 2024 still ongoing, the cricketing world will keep a close eye on the team’s performance and ability to bounce back from this setback.
