Are we happy with mediocrity - is this our level now?

[mominsaigol]

He is a bit touchy about Indians having a say on Pakistan cricket. I can understand that. But there is a difference between normal social media fans and forum fans. They are supposed to be more nuanced, self-critical, analytical. Even those who refute don't throw sound bites like "10 years no trophy" in every post. Indian fans can be far more brutal on their players when things don't go right. There will be backlash if India doesn't pull this off. But nobody can complain about domianting 9 teams in a row. In the last 3 world cups out of 26 matches India has lost only 3. won 23 matches. Yes they failed in clutch games. It is something that can be fixed. What Pakistan goes through is a much bigger issue. He thinks that will go away if he deflects it towards Indian failures in knock out games.

With me I'm very open. As an aussie pakistani, ik aus team and ik pak team.

I have been very open with every team. If an Indian tells me that their team is superior to Australian and pakistani team, I will be humble and admit to it.

Their is no shame in being biased just cause of my aussie or pakistani origins.

This tournament India is clearly the best team by miles while aus isn't a strong team but aus has a mentality that causes them to punch > their weight.

If aus/sa/nz manage to win the trophy it wouldn't change my mind on India not being the strongest team.

It's very obvious if you do a player y player analysis as to who's the best team and who isn't.

 

[saqib.rai]

I want you to be 100% honest. When did you start watching cricket?

Cause I will either deem you as a troll or a liar. Their no 2 ways about it.

Someone who's been watching cricket since I was only 2 years old shouldn't be making statements like

Babar is the greatest

we are no 1

this team gives me hope

test and odi suck as formats, t20 is where its at, oh yeah

When Pakistan is on a roll, we are unstoppable.

This is something my 9 year old baby cousin who started watching cricket in 2022 would say and opened faulty Wikipedia profiles to justify his faulty Knowledge.

I am transparent with everyone. I've been watching since 2011, and people here like @Hitman clearly know that, since they know I'm extremely knowledgeable but my inexperience begins to show when I start talking about anything pre 2011

You should be on the level of @Rana In terms of analysis if you're watching since 2003. Not making such ridiculous statements.

Based of your dialogue, ik you're not a troll and clearly 100% mean everything you have ever said. So the only conclusion is that you're a liar who started watching extremely recently and not since 2003.

Please don't take any offence to my comment. If I come off as harsh, I apologise, it isn't my intention. I'm just making a valid assumption that's all.

Bro just be humble and control your expectations, I've told you this a 1000x times. Pakistan isn't the worst team on the planet but the fans who overhype the team's caliber and don't acknowledge the corrupt culture and the true caliber of the team are the ones who start crying in tournaments after once India and sena give them a reality check of epic proportions.

I have lived through the dark times when our coach got mysteriously murdered in 2007. We lost to Ireland

When we lost an ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2009 purposely to remove Malik from captaincy

And then in late 2009, lost an ODI series against New Zealand purposely to remove Younis Khan from captaincy

That is why I adore the unity this team has. And kid (I am only 5 years older) why do we study history? Because it gives an indication of the future

They day you remove Babar and unnaturally instill mediocrity like Sarfraz or Shan as captain, we would go into that phase again. Make Shaheen/Rizwan captain, no problem

Babar is the greatest ODI batsman in our history. I stand by that. Younis is the greatest Test Batsman

We were number 1 in ODI ranking- that's a fact and NOT my opinion

This team did give me hope. But the spinners proved our undoing in the World Cup. Who wouldn't have hope when you have players like Fakhar, Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen in one team

Tests and ODIs now seem painfully long. I love the t20 format. Was a big football fan back in the day and believe me, cricket would have been the MOST popular sport in the World if it was t20 from the start. The thrill in most t20 games is unmatchable

When we are on a roll, we are unstoppable. The 3 ICC tournament wins and how we achieved them proves that. I also believe we would have won in 2019 if we had somehow sneaked into the semis

But I do agree with you, I am non-serious some of the time and leave comments that I shouldn't. But those are always to do with Indian posters

 

[DeadlyVenom]

But in 1980s PCT didnt win a single big multi team trophy..
Greatness is not relative , tell me which Bilateral PCT won in 1980s?
The major series was a draw in 1980s..

They were a very good side not great.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I am really interested in knowing which time period are you talking about?

Because you seem to imply that we hardly lost in the past

90s, when there was rampant fixing and under-performance by the core group of players? Lost to India in all 3 World Cups in the 1990s. Even in the 1999 World Cup, we lost 4 matches. Were never the invincible side that players from that team portray themselves to be

I started watching cricket in 2003-04, and from then till now, we have always been thrashed whenever we have had an away series in SENA

This World Cup was atleast better than the show we put out in 2003 and 2007- in 2007, the Coach got mysteriously killed. Need I say more

The past 3 years have seen 2 of our cricketers win the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award for the FIRST TIME SINCE THE AWARDS STARTED IN 2004
we have played one Final and one Semi-final of t20 World Cups
We have been ranked number 1 for the first time in our ODI HISTORY

We were ranked 9 in ODIs in at the end of 2015 and start of 2016, still this time is worse?

More than anything, now whenever we lose no one points fingers at the players character. From 2003-2018, whenever we lost, there were accusations of match fixing or deliberate under performance to remove captain. I am pretty sure that was the case before 2003 as well, but after 2003 I have seen it with my own eyes.

All of this because no one takes ODIs seriously in bilaterals while Pakistan send their best vs even Holland.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Last 2 years. Pace attack against Pakistan in bilaterals


These are the fast bowlers they played against. That too mostly at home on low bounce pitches.

POTW for me.

Shows how Pakistan managed to stat pad and reach number 1 in ODI.

 

[mominsaigol]

I have lived through the dark times when our coach got mysteriously murdered in 2007. We lost to Ireland

When we lost an ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2009 purposely to remove Malik from captaincy

And then in late 2009, lost an ODI series against New Zealand purposely to remove Younis Khan from captaincy

That is why I adore the unity this team has. And kid (I am only 5 years older) why do we study history? Because it gives an indication of the future

They day you remove Babar and unnaturally instill mediocrity like Sarfraz or Shan as captain, we would go into that phase again. Make Shaheen/Rizwan captain, no problem

Babar is the greatest ODI batsman in our history. I stand by that. Younis is the greatest Test Batsman

We were number 1 in ODI ranking- that's a fact and NOT my opinion

This team did give me hope. But the spinners proved our undoing in the World Cup. Who wouldn't have hope when you have players like Fakhar, Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen in one team

Tests and ODIs now seem painfully long. I love the t20 format. Was a big football fan back in the day and believe me, cricket would have been the MOST popular sport in the World if it was t20 from the start. The thrill in most t20 games is unmatchable

When we are on a roll, we are unstoppable. The 3 ICC tournament wins and how we achieved them proves that. I also believe we would have won in 2019 if we had somehow sneaked into the semis

But I do agree with you, I am non-serious some of the time and leave comments that I shouldn't. But those are always to do with Indian posters

Look if you've watched before 2011 and lived through those dark times then fair enough, because as I said, I have zero knowledge before 2011 and have to rely on other peoples insight.

But from 2011 to 2023 I have followed it mostly. Tournaments I've watched very religiously.

Secondly you need to realise something (This will be a bit long so I hope you don't mind)

I said this before that I'm an aussie supporter and a NZ supporters something that @GLORY OF '92 can verify if you don't believe me. I 100% back those teams and it would make me the happiest person on the planet if NZ and Aus reach the finals. But just because I support those teams does not make me delusional.

I am well aware India is currently > Aus and NZ. In Australia's case the current 2023 team of aus is the 2nd weakest odi wc team they have ever had, only surpassed by 2011 aus team. They've gotten this far due to punching > their weight and pulling blinders otherwise even Afghanistan had them cooked.

So If aus or nz do manage to win this cup, I will be very happy, but I'm not delusional, i don't think aus or nz is > current India. 9 out of 10x this Indian team is beating current aus or NZ.

Now why do I support current Aus, if I claimed their the 2nd weakest team they've ever sent minus 2011?

It's not because I have a love affair with Australia just because I live In Sydney. Its because the team is united. The selections were based of merit, every player is doing their best and fulfilling whatever role their team requires of them and their all playing for the crest on their chest. Their leader is also someone who understands everyone's role. Their no stupid statements made on the media, no politics, no nothing. Their here to win, their here to okay for their country, their here to do their best, which is why I will support aus and NZ as my favourite teams even though ik full well they are not the strongest teams. If you count batting first then even sa is superior to both of em.

Now why do I not support Pakistan and bash them mercilessly?

It isn't because I love being toxic, nor do I bash randomly, I have no interest in trolling people on forumns I do not know. I trolled once with the Muhammad rizwan thread, but everything else is serious.

Reason why I don't support the team is because it is not united like you claim.

Let's start with babar, his biggest complaint was that he has a low sr despite having a solid wc so he obviously needs to improve his sr. Instead Babar opens at t20 and blocks oatheays for youngsters like saim and Fakhar. Babar is opening In t20 not for the team but because its the easiest position to bat in and the position where he can take the most time. It sends a bad message as he's clearly playing for his milestone and does not wish to improve sr or making an active effort.

You don't see kohli doing this or anyone else for that matter.

Secondly any team or leader on the planet wouldn't throw a newbie under the bus. In asia cup zaman khan was called in last minute in a virtual semi final where he failed. Babar threw him under the bus on social media but claimed shadab and nawaz were his match winners and decided to take them instead of abrar who was his best test spinner a format where sheddy and nawaz were failures in.

Stats wise in this cup and in asia cup shadab and nawaz have been the worst bowlers period, only surpassed by Joe root in bowling which is understandable as root isn't a bowler.

Your reserves are superior to your bench strength, this is not a squad that was selected in merit and united.

Aus and NZ wouldn't have taken a second to remove shadab amd nawaz and bring In abrar irrespective of any lack of experience cause they Select on merit and wouldn't toeralte such bowling performances. Pat Cummings would bash, he wouldn't say shadab and nawaz are his best bowlers.

Now let's start with rizwan

Rizwan isn't humble, Fakhar who was happy to step down at 3 in t20 is. Any person on the planet knows that rizwan shouldn't replace Fakhar at t20 opening irrespective of Fakhar's form cause this tournament showed why fakhar is the true opener for Pakistan.

Secondly a humble person doesn't go on media saying he isn't happy batting at no 5, he wants no 4, which again shows you have another player who plays for himself not the team. You don't see rachin ravindra saying I'm not happy as a finisher, I want to bat at opening. Management opened with him cause they know talent and ravindra rewarded, but he didn't go to the media to cry.

This is another example of not a united team.

Lastly about icc rankings

Icc doesn't give a kahoot about no of matches missed or teams, kohli missed 18 odi's from 2019 to 2023 where babar missed 0. You could score 10 centuries against Namibia and reach no 1 lol, and get player of the year so its useless.

And finally

Babar No 1

Mr no 1 was a failure in 2022 wc, he was a failure this cup as well. He was also a failure in 2023 asia cuo minus nepal game which is a minnow. The no 1 batsmen in the world claimed that if fakhar plays 20 to 30 overs, then we win the game.

Tell me something, why is the supposed greatest Pakistani batsmen of all time saying fakhar is the best person to play 30 overs and not himself? Isn't he the greatest? Shouldn't he achieve the same caliber that fakhar can?

Also please stop with this sarfraz sarfraz nonsense. I didn't ever bring sarfi up, don't derail the topic.

Many posters kept warning you about shaheen, Rizwan, Babar in this cup, they knew from the start. You didn't listen, that's the difference.

Don't take offence to this but being a supporter is also about acknowledgement not delusion, something that I am with Australia and NZ and something that you're not with Pakistan.

 

[Rana]

Last 2 years. Pace attack against Pakistan in bilaterals


These are the fast bowlers they played against. That too mostly at home on low bounce pitches.

Serious Pace bowling list that

 

[emranabbas]

This is the most misleading ranking ever. These are the series Pakistan played since 2022.

Series against AUS B team which had no Warner, Hazzlewood, Strac, Cummins, Marsh etc. Pakistan won 2-1.

Won 3-0 against WI

Won 3-0 against Netherlands and played full strength without giving a chance to anyone on the bench.

Lost 2-1 against NZ

Won 4-1 against NZ. Again few key players were playing IPL at this time.

Won 3-0 against AFG

Next comes the multi-team events.

In Asia Cup PAK won against Nepal and Bangladesh whiles losing to IND and SL.

In WC lost to all top teams except against NZ.

Victories against minnow level teams and B, C teams agve both the team and fans a false sense of confidence which led to hashtags like #Theycantplaythem.

As an Indian fan the difference I see in both teams is insecurity. KL and Iyer were not part of the team for betetr part of this year and during their absense Ishan and others were performing well. But as soon as they returned they were given priority. On the other hand Pakistan never rested its players even against Netherlands and AFG as they fear that if their replacements do well then their places may be in danger. This meant once Naseem was injured they did not have a suitable replacement on the bench. IND played the AUS ODI series in September without Pandya and now in the WC when he was unavailable they could still field a formidable team.

Add to this players playing different leagues which further put a toll on their bodies and appeared fatigued in the WC. While every team tried and tested their bench before the WC it was only Pakistan that tried and tested their bench in the WC. Be it Abdullah, Saud, Usama or Wasim. Players like Saim Ayub were not even picked for Asian Games while Haider Ali, Asif Ali and Kushdil Shah continued getting extended runs despite repeated failures.

Fans were more happy with Babar maintaining his ODI ranking for 2 years than buidling a strong team. Gill could have become the no. 1 ODI batsmen if he played the 3rd ODI against AUS in September after scoring 70+ and a 100 in 1st 2 ODIs. But Dravid rested him and played Kohli and Rohit in the 3rd ODI.

Babar never looked beyond Shadab and Nawaz in the spin department. Abrar was never tried nor was Usama. Usama was tried in the WC and by then it was too late to realize he was not good enough.

Another thing that has been a cause of concern for Pakistan in white ball cricket is strike rate. In modern Cricket 350 is the new 280 but Pakistan was looking to score 280 even against Netherlands. Except Fakhar and Ifti none of the others are natural 6 hitters. Abdullah, Imam, Babar, Saud, Rizzy all play a similar style of cricket. By having all these in one batting line-up its hardly a surprise that Pakistan only scored 300+ scores just twice in this WC. I chuckled when Babar mentioned that if Fakhar bats for 30 overs they can post a huge total. How can any team depend on one batsman to post huge totals?

Going forward Pakistan and Babar if he remains as captain need to concentrate on building a pool of 25-30 players. For this they need to rest key players who make it to the 1st XI without thinking about individual rankings and give opportunities to bench. But the media too needs to hold its horses if the results do not go in Pakistan's favour and 1st XI players need to be given their place on their return irrespective of how well their replacements had done.

Lastly, PCB needs to plan its FTP properly. Just because there is t20 WC in June they have not scheduled any ODis till November 2024. Which leaves just 4 months before the CT 2025. How will they be able to develop a pool. But in this scenario they should not make a mistake of selecting players who did well in t20s as different skills sets are required for ODIs and t20s.

POTW for me

coming from a natural poster

100% spot on

 

[Technics 1210]

I have read it all now - when Pakistan are number 1 in ODIs - ODI format is meaningless!

 

[saqib.rai]

I have read it all now - when Pakistan are number 1 in ODIs - ODI format is meaningless!

One simple question:
Why didn't any team in our ODI HISTORY reach number 1?

Did they use to rest key players against weak teams? I can only remember us always playing full strength even against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I have read it all now - when Pakistan are number 1 in ODIs - ODI format is meaningless!

The format is not meaningless.

If we are truly number 1 what are we doing sitting in Lahore?

Lets laugh at that first.

 

[mominsaigol]

Post of the Year for me personally was you calling Shadab a villager and @mominsaigol liking that comment. Good going guys

Anyways,
Tell this poster to also share his teams stats against Matt Henry in the 2019 World Cup semifinal where he demolished them

Someone we took to the cleaners as can be seen in the screenshot

One bad tournament doesn't define our team.
Why is it that no other team in our ODI HISTORY ever reached number 1?
Workload Management ka concept toh tab bhi nahi tha. Full strength tab bhi khelti thi against weak oppositions

I like every comment that I find funny though.

But yes I agree, matt Henry was bullied by Pakistan on a few occasions.

And bro, Please forget about this no 1, no 1 drama.

By this logic sarfraz was no 8 and he didn't do crap. You called sarfi medicore earlier but he's the captain we won ct 2017 under irrespective if you claim he did nothing or did something .

No 8 winning shows how flawed the rankings are. If we're no 1, why didn't we reach semi's, finals or win the Cup? If we did it at no 8?

As for one bad tournament? We flunked asia cup? Also don't bring t20 into this .

Their different formats altogether. We reached no 1 in odi, not t20. If you wanna ride a high horse drama because we reached t20 semi or finals then go ahead, continue being disingenuous.

But don't confuse different formats. We're no 1 in odi and yet we got humiliated in asia cup and wc 2x in a row, what a great no 1 team we have.

I predict when we start to Bully b or c string teams again you and @Technics 1210 will ride the wave until the next ct 2025 where the 2 of you will be left crying again lol and still going with this batman

It's not who we are underneath, it's what we do that defines us

Mantra, so cringe honestly.

 

[Technics 1210]

cant satisfy them
Most toxic fans any team can have

One simple question:
Why didn't any team in our ODI HISTORY reach number 1?

Did they use to rest key players against weak teams? I can only remember us always playing full strength even against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

These same fans clearly did not see the team India fielded against Netherlands on Sunday.

India did not rest key players despite having qualified for SFs before the match vs NL.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

cant satisfy them


One simple question:
Why didn't any team in our ODI HISTORY reach number 1?

Did they use to rest key players against weak teams? I can only remember us always playing full strength even against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

Because at that time there were less associate nations playing ODI cricket.

The weakest team was Zimbabwe consisted of Bryan and Paul Strang, Andy Whittall, Guy Whittal, Andy Flower and Grant Flower and Heath Streak.

The above team would even thrash Pakistan today every single time.

Pakistan has built the number 1 ranking on 2nd string and 3rd String sides and playing full strength teams vs associate nations.

You can be deluded about this, fine.

But the World Cup performance should be an eye opener for anyone who claims that Pakistan is number 1.

I repeat, what is the number 1 team doing sitting in Lahore International Airport when they are four teams still playing the semi finals who are ranked 2,3, 4 and 5 in the rankings?

 

[Dr_Bassim]

These same fans clearly did not see the team India fielded against Netherlands on Sunday.

India did not rest key players despite having qualified for SFs before the match vs NL.

India is playing a World Cup dude.

No one was asking Babar to be rested vs Netherlands and Bangladesh in the World Cup lol.

He should have been resting when we played Netherlands in 3 match useless bilateral ODI series.

But there, he padded as much as he could, because that's his standard.

 

[mominsaigol]

These same fans clearly did not see the team India fielded against Netherlands on Sunday.

India did not rest key players despite having qualified for SFs before the match vs NL.

Why would they do that in world cup? When they need every player active? And fully ready to play? Their no fitness issues so resting is pointless?

 

[mominsaigol]

Because at that time there were less associate nations playing ODI cricket.

The weakest team was Zimbabwe consisted of Bryan and Paul Strang, Andy Whittall, Guy Whittal, Andy Flower and Grant Flower and Heath Streak.

The above team would even thrash Pakistan today every single time.

Pakistan has built the number 1 ranking on 2nd string and 3rd String sides and playing full strength teams vs associate nations.

You can be deluded about this, fine.

But the World Cup performance should be an eye opener for anyone who claims that Pakistan is number 1.

I repeat, what is the number 1 team doing sitting in Lahore International Airport when they are four teams still playing the semi finals who are ranked 2,3, 4 and 5 in the rankings?

Wait till 2025 wc for the next bashing and the next wave of clutching straws from fans.

 

[emranabbas]

cant satisfy them
Most toxic fans any team can have

One simple question:
Why didn't any team in our ODI HISTORY reach number 1?

Did they use to rest key players against weak teams? I can only remember us always playing full strength even against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

Here is the answer to your question

So since Babar took over captaincy

*We beat Zimbabwe 2-0

*We beat South Africa 2-1 away
South Africa was going through patch

*We Lost to England 3-0 away

*We beat Australia (B Team) 2-1 home
No starc No Mitchell No maxwell No Warner and no Cummins

*We beat West Indies 3-0 Home

*We Beat Netherlands 3-0 Away

*We lost to newzealand 2-1 Home
Full strength newzealand

*We beat newzealand 3-0 Home
Newzealand comeback with their C team with main bowlers missing

*We just about to beat Afghanistan 3-0

Give this Schedule to any captain of the past if not better he will gave you same results

unfortunately ICC RANKING don't measure the quality of the team and will award same amount of points regardless if your playing Uganda or india

And player of the year are based on these rankings

I remember at one time rashid can was number 1 ranked on the icc ranking without even playing a single test nation team

 

[emranabbas]

Because at that time there were less associate nations playing ODI cricket.

The weakest team was Zimbabwe consisted of Bryan and Paul Strang, Andy Whittall, Guy Whittal, Andy Flower and Grant Flower and Heath Streak.

The above team would even thrash Pakistan today every single time.

Pakistan has built the number 1 ranking on 2nd string and 3rd String sides and playing full strength teams vs associate nations.

You can be deluded about this, fine.

But the World Cup performance should be an eye opener for anyone who claims that Pakistan is number 1.

I repeat, what is the number 1 team doing sitting in Lahore International Airport when they are four teams still playing the semi finals who are ranked 2,3, 4 and 5 in the rankings?

I remember watching Zimbabwe back in the days they were a half decent team them a touch better than Afghanistan who trashed the current pakistani team. No way this current pakistan team would have survived Zimbabwe of that time.

 

[mominsaigol]

That question right there for me has become the hot topic of PP. I also want to know the answer to this question.

Even if he started watching the game since 2003, the question is when did he start actively following Pakistan cricket?

My guess would be no more than 6-8 years. Saw the last years of the dark Misbah era so anything that can exceed those standards is going to look gold when you’ve been scraping the bottom of barrel to begin with.

The misbah era still had more positives then this era.

Hafeez sucked as an opener but he has played decent knocks something no one in pur team has played barring fakhar who's been the best batsmen since the past decade or even more. Like hafeez's opening partnership at Asia cup 2012 which was overshadowed by Sachin amd kohli master class.

His thrashing to Sri Lanka and South Africa, hafeez bullied a Sri lanka side taking 3 wickets and scoring a 100 all while this side had the likes of Sangakara, Malinga etc.

Afridi for all his faults, provided a match winning innings at 2014 Asia cup, and his bowling remained top tier till 2015, after that he was a spent force. His best bowling figures of 7 wickets for 19 runs came during this period.

And afridi is 100x better them shadab or nawaz lol.

Umar gul during this period was okayish but a freak in t20 and occasionally in odi as in 2013 he dismantled a proper atg sa side featuring de villers, quinton etc for 5 wickets and only 6 runs given.

Umar akmal for all his faults is also superior to all our current lower order batters including chacha. Yes umar now is a spent Force, his current stats reflect that but his innings of 102 against afg from a collapsed position is something neither chacha, Shadab or nawaz can ever play.

Sharjeel had a a few good knocks and freak 150 score against Ireland, Sarfi and wahab shined in 2015 during a few games.

Chuck ajmal amd chuck hafeez were also stupidly unplayable.

Compare that to the current era, Besides fakhar who's from sarfi era, Which babar era bat has any redeeming qualities?

Abdullah seems to be a test promise, and seems to be going the younis Khan route. Saud seems like he's destined to fail because of rizzu politics. Babar and rizzu have scammed saqib . Agha, Shadab, Nawaz are the biggest jokes I've ever seen.

Our supposed finisher chacha has barely hit sixes or finished this WC.

Our bowling is beyond hilarious,

Shaheen, Rauf, and hasan ali/ Waseem aren't anywhere close to the spells that wahab has bowled in world cups or umar gul has bowled on occasion or what afridi could bowl during his day.

 

[mominsaigol]

The misbah era still had more positives then this era.

Hafeez sucked as an opener but he has played decent knocks something no one in pur team has played barring fakhar who's been the best batsmen since the past decade or even more. Like hafeez's opening partnership at Asia cup 2012 which was overshadowed by Sachin amd kohli master class.

His thrashing to Sri Lanka and South Africa, hafeez bullied a Sri lanka side taking 3 wickets and scoring a 100 all while this side had the likes of Sangakara, Malinga etc.

Afridi for all his faults, provided a match winning innings at 2014 Asia cup, and his bowling remained top tier till 2015, after that he was a spent force. His best bowling figures of 7 wickets for 19 runs came during this period.

And afridi is 100x better them shadab or nawaz lol.

Umar gul during this period was okayish but a freak in t20 and occasionally in odi as in 2013 he dismantled a proper atg sa side featuring de villers, quinton etc for 5 wickets and only 6 runs given.

Umar akmal for all his faults is also superior to all our current lower order batters including chacha. Yes umar now is a spent Force, his current stats reflect that but his innings of 102 against afg from a collapsed position is something neither chacha, Shadab or nawaz can ever play.

Sharjeel had a a few good knocks and freak 150 score against Ireland, Sarfi and wahab shined in 2015 during a few games.

Chuck ajmal amd chuck hafeez were also stupidly unplayable.

Compare that to the current era, Besides fakhar who's from sarfi era, Which babar era bat has any redeeming qualities?

Abdullah seems to be a test promise, and seems to be going the younis Khan route. Saud seems like he's destined to fail because of rizzu politics. Babar and rizzu have scammed saqib . Agha, Shadab, Nawaz are the biggest jokes I've ever seen.

Our supposed finisher chacha has barely hit sixes or finished this WC.

Our bowling is beyond hilarious,

Shaheen, Rauf, and hasan ali/ Waseem aren't anywhere close to the spells that wahab has bowled in world cups or umar gul has bowled on occasion or what afridi could bowl during his day.

We have a few redeeming qualities in this era but their all being wasted just like the misbah era.

Muhammad haris is the reason Pakistan even reached semi's in 2022 minus the nedtherlands game, but he's on the bench to serve Overlord rizwan.

Abrar has been your best test bowler, and in the same format > Sheddy and nawaz but he's warming the bench for our 2 greatest match winners

Saud and Abdullah have shown promise but their being wasted as Abdullah is brought expected to kick off and be fully groomed in the grandest stage with zero match practise and saud is in the same boat but worse, cause he's serving rizwan the Overlord as well.

Naseem shah is our best bowler like I've been saying for months but the shaheen wave and babar's stupid keep playing winning 11 till it loses, caused naseem to be out and he'll probs be out fir a very very long while.

Saim ayub is another positive being wasted at no 4 in t20 to serve rizzu and Bobby overlords.

So in this era more wastage then then misbah era since sharjeel still opened, Sarfi got a forced change atleast and bowling wise misbah was okay until 2015 where he got exposed with ajmal departing.

 

[CerebralPatriot]

We have been made to accept mediocrity through four years of selective manipulation done by Misbah Ul Haq, Waqar Younis and Ramiz Raja in order to create a team which fulfils their agenda over the success of Pakistan cricket.

Just go onto social media and you will know what I am talking about. If you criticise Babar even slightly, a wave of comments from his cult base will be barraged at you. Same case for Rizwan, Shadab and Shaheen.

However let's hope that this world cup debacle changes things. Lets hope that the silent majority which was forced to be quiet can now be vocal and begin to fight the good fight

 

[Stewie]

We need to be playing more tests and ODIs against quality opposition on quality pitches.


Since the pandemic we have been happy playing T20s here and there and it’s not improving the skills of our players.

 

[Maliq_Mudasir]

So cricket returning to Pak has done more damage to PCT than teams not travelling to play. I don't see teams sending their main players to Pak in next 3-5 years at least.

Now solution to this is test enough bench strength for home series/against weak teams and select your experienced players for away tours along with those who deo well in home series.

 

[Mamoon]

We have been made to accept mediocrity through four years of selective manipulation done by Misbah Ul Haq, Waqar Younis and Ramiz Raja in order to create a team which fulfils their agenda over the success of Pakistan cricket.

Yes because the last 1.5 years of Sarfaraz’s tenure was not the epitome of mediocrity.

 

[vprasanna83]

What's the point when embarrassment awaits you in every ICC knockout match??

India should hire mental strengthening coaches instead of spending so much money on identifying talent

Because Indians in general lack mental toughness unlike Australians and Pakistanis (but our talent pool is limited)

Apparently winning two Test series in Australia requires no “ mental toughness “

Coming back from 36 all out and all your main stars getting injured to beat Aus in Aus requires no “mental toughness “

Pujara wearing blows all over his body to blunt Cummins and Hazlewood also required no “ mental toughness “

Only knockout games in World Cups ( one match in which one team got the advantage of a fresh green top after rains ) require “ mental toughness “

 

[vprasanna83]

If you toss a coin 1000 times , in between you may have a chain of 5 tosses which have all heads . That’s probability , and probability is life .

 

[RahulBose]

In the past if Pakistan lost a match, any match, I would be absolutely gutted, I wouldn't want to speak with anyone, I wouldn't want anyone to speak with me about the cricket.

However these days it's almost a case of accepting the loss, not being too annoyed about it and moving on.

Is this how Pakistani fans are? Do we just accept mediocrity?

Are we just happy with our players averages being good, being towards the top of the rankings and the occasional win?

Has mediocrity become an integral and acceptable part of Pakistan cricket?

Ditto on the reaction part, each time India loses any match. I mentally check out of cricket. Just too painful. such a toxic relationship, mostly from my side

 

[FearlessRoar]

It's not about being happy. it's about them not even agreeing that they are mediocre. Remember how Iftimania was saying, No doubt, we are the number 1 side.

 

[jnaveen1980]

India has been no.1 ranked T20 side for a while. I don't think we are no.1 in that format as we miss a few ingredients. Until we get those Ingredients we will take our no 1 ranking with a grain of salt. If we lose a T20 it is more to do with we are not good enough. Not choking.

 

[Kroll]

There's not one player in this team that you could genuinely say you look forward to see playing. The likes Anwar, Inzi, Wasim, Waqar and Akhtar from the past.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I've accepted our results are about the best we can muster from such a wretched setup. Part of the problem is Pakistani fans are constantly fixated on 2nd order issues. Player X should play ahead of Player Y. Hire this coach. Fire that selector.

I repeat your cricket team is reflective of your administration. A poorly run cricket team can achieve periodic success but will struggle to sustain that in the long-term.

It's no coincidence that India, Australia and New Zealand are amongst the top four in this World Cup but Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have packed their bags - while West Indies and Zimbabwe never made it to India.

Nor is it coincidental that Pakistan's most consistent period of performance was in the 1980s under Nur Khan/Arif Abbasi, and began declining during the PCB musical chairs era in the 1990s which has continued ever since.

Delink politics from cricket, start appointing a chairman on merit not because of whose backs they've scratched, and we might get somewhere.

Pakistan cricket pretty much reflects it's politics now anyway. No wonder people have lost interest, both the cricketers and the politicians are just going through the motions, the strings are being pulled elsewhere.

 

[Kianig89]

The lack of stars is the reason Pakistan cricket has regressed drastically , in this 15man squad Babar & SSA were only stars and Naseem injured that's 3/15 , 20% compare that to India

Rohit Gill VK Pandya Jadeja Bumrah Shami Ashwin that's 8/15 stars

Take Pakistan teams of past
WC96 Anwar Inzimam Wasim Waqar Javed that's 5/15 stars

WC99: Anwar Afridi Inzimam Wasim Waqar Akhtar Saqlain that's 7/15 stars

WC2003 : Anwar Afridi Inzimam Wasim Waqar Akhtar that's 6/15 stars

WC2011: YK Misbah Afridi Ajmal Gul Akhtar Razzaq Uakmal that's 8/15 stars.

 

[shamaan]

There's not one player in this team that you could genuinely say you look forward to see playing. The likes Anwar, Inzi, Wasim, Waqar and Akhtar from the past.

Not even Fakhar ?

 

[Kroll]

Not even Fakhar ?

Unfortunately not really yaar, he's in and out of the team and then too hit and miss with the misses outweighing the hits. I wouldn't be adverse to dropping him either and blooding youth instead.

 

[shamaan]

Unfortunately not really yaar, he's in and out of the team and then too hit and miss with the misses outweighing the hits. I wouldn't be adverse to dropping him either and blooding youth instead.

From the current squad I definitely love seeing Fakhar play.

 

[Kroll]

From the current squad I definitely love seeing Fakhar play.

I'm just fed up, I think we need a reset and reboot, sick and fed up of seeing the same tired faces and the mediocrity and dross that comes with it.

 

[saqib.rai]

Apparently winning two Test series in Australia requires no “ mental toughness “

Coming back from 36 all out and all your main stars getting injured to beat Aus in Aus requires no “mental toughness “

Pujara wearing blows all over his body to blunt Cummins and Hazlewood also required no “ mental toughness “

Only knockout games in World Cups ( one match in which one team got the advantage of a fresh green top after rains ) require “ mental toughness “

You guys have lost 6 out of the last 8 ICC knockouts/finals you have competed in

With the two wins both coming against the mighty Bangladesh- 2015 WC QF and 2017 CT SF

If we include WTC- its 8 losses out of 10. Cannot be a COINCIDENCE

 

[Hitman]

You guys have lost 6 out of the last 8 ICC knockouts/finals you have competed in

With the two wins both coming against the mighty Bangladesh- 2015 WC QF and 2017 CT SF

If we include WTC- its 8 losses out of 10. Cannot be a COINCIDENCE

You guys have made the semis of an ODI World Cup in this century once in 6 World Cups (2011). The rest of the 5 World Cups, you couldn't even make the semis.

 

[vprasanna83]

You guys have lost 6 out of the last 8 ICC knockouts/finals you have competed in

With the two wins both coming against the mighty Bangladesh- 2015 WC QF and 2017 CT SF

If we include WTC- its 8 losses out of 10. Cannot be a COINCIDENCE

Did India lose those matches because of mental fragility , or were they beaten by some champion performances on the day / helpful conditions / etc ? Did India choke these matches like SA did in 99 / 2003 / 2015 ?

 

[saqib.rai]

You guys have made the semis of an ODI World Cup in this century once in 6 World Cups (2011). The rest of the 5 World Cups, you couldn't even make the semis.

doesn't matter
Winning matters

Much better is not making semis rather than always losing semis/finals

 

[saqib.rai]

Did India lose those matches because of mental fragility , or were they beaten by some champion performances on the day / helpful conditions / etc ? Did India choke these matches like SA did in 99 / 2003 / 2015 ?

8/10 with 2 wins both against Bangladesh is NO coincidence

 

[BouncerGuy]

OK guys, Enough of this personal conversation. Please stop involving in a conflict with each other. will remove irrelevant posts now.

 

[jeetu]

With most teams using bilateral ODI as testing grounds for bench strength. This table is focused on WC and ICC tournaments.

From 2010

Team	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L
India	2011-2023	46​	38​	6​	1​	0​	6.333​
Australia	2011-2023	40​	25​	11​	0​	4​	2.272​
New Zealand	2011-2023	43​	25​	14​	1​	2​	1.785​
South Africa	2011-2023	40​	22​	16​	1​	1​	1.375​
Pakistan	2011-2023	40​	23​	17​	0​	0​	1.352​
England	2011-2023	42​	21​	19​	2​	0​	1.105​
Sri Lanka	2011-2023	39​	18​	20​	0​	1​	0.9​
Ireland	2011-2015	12​	5​	7​	0​	0​	0.714​
Bangladesh	2011-2023	33​	12​	20​	0​	1​	0.6​
West Indies	2011-2019	26​	9​	15​	1​	1​	0.6​
Zimbabwe	2011-2015	12​	3​	9​	0​	0​	0.333​
Afghanistan	2015-2023	24​	5​	19​	0​	0​	0.263​
Canada	2011-2011	6​	1​	5​	0​	0​	0.2​
Netherlands	2011-2023	15​	2​	13​	0​	0​	0.153​
Kenya	2011-2011	6​	0​	6​	0​	0​	0​
Scotland	2015-2015	6​	0​	6​	0​	0​	0​
U.A.E.	2015-2015	6​	0​	6​	0​	0​	0​

From 2015

Team	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L
India	2015-2023	32​	26​	5​	0​	0​	5.2​
Australia	2015-2023	30​	21​	7​	0​	2​	3​
New Zealand	2015-2023	32​	19​	10​	1​	1​	1.9​
Pakistan	2015-2023	29​	17​	12​	0​	0​	1.416​
South Africa	2015-2023	29​	16​	12​	0​	1​	1.333​
England	2015-2023	30​	15​	14​	1​	0​	1.071​
Ireland	2015-2015	6​	3​	3​	0​	0​	1​
Sri Lanka	2015-2023	26​	10​	16​	0​	0​	0.625​
Bangladesh	2015-2023	27​	9​	17​	0​	1​	0.529​
West Indies	2015-2019	16​	5​	10​	0​	1​	0.5​
Netherlands	2023-2023	9​	2​	7​	0​	0​	0.285​
Afghanistan	2015-2023	24​	5​	19​	0​	0​	0.263​
Zimbabwe	2015-2015	6​	1​	5​	0​	0​	0.2​
Scotland	2015-2015	6​	0​	6​	0​	0​	0​
U.A.E.	2015-2015	6​	0​	6​	0​	0​	0​

From 2020

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L
India	10​	9​	0​	0​	0​	-
Australia	9​	7​	2​	0​	0​	3.5​
South Africa	9​	7​	2​	0​	0​	3.5​
New Zealand	10​	5​	4​	0​	0​	1.25​
Afghanistan	9​	4​	5​	0​	0​	0.8​
Pakistan	9​	4​	5​	0​	0​	0.8​
England	9​	3​	6​	0​	0​	0.5​
Bangladesh	9​	2​	7​	0​	0​	0.285​
Netherlands	9​	2​	7​	0​	0​	0.285​
Sri Lanka	9​	2​	7​	0​	0​	0.285​

 

[jeetu]

[table=class: grid, align: center]
[tr][td]Team [/td][td]Aus [/td][td]Eng [/td][td]Ind [/td][td]Pak [/td][td]WI [/td][td]NZ [/td][td]SL [/td][td]SA [/td][td]Ban [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]WC 2011 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]WC 2015 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]WC 2019 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]ICC 2013 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]ICC 2017 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]T20 2012 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]T20 2014 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]T20 2016 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]T20 2021 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]T20 2022 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Test 2021 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Test 2023 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]2 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]0 [/td][td]1 [/td][td]0 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][td] [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Sum [/td][td]19 [/td][td]11 [/td][td]19 [/td][td]8 [/td][td]9 [/td][td]14 [/td][td]9 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Count [/td][td]7 [/td][td]6 [/td][td]9 [/td][td]5 [/td][td]3 [/td][td]7 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]4 [/td][td]1 [/td][/tr]
[/table]

 

[Thephenom]

No, I’m always upset when Pakistan loose especially in ICC tournaments and it still depresses me at least a day after

 

[RyanRyan10]

One simple question:
Why didn't any team in our ODI HISTORY reach number 1?

Did they use to rest key players against weak teams? I can only remember us always playing full strength even against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

ICC Rankings were introduced in 2002 and Pakistan's decline in the ODIs started somewhere around then.

Pakistan's best time was between the late 70s to late 90s (1982 to 1994 were the years they peaked). From 1979 to 1999, Pakistan made it to the final 4 in 5/6 World Cups. They also won 1 WC and made it to the finals once.

Pakistan may not have been the most dominant force in this phase but they were always a top tier side.

Compare it to the 2003-2023 phase, they have qualified for the semifinals just once in the semis in 6 attempts. This is what mediocrity is.

As far as rankings are concerned, they don't mean much in white-ball cricket. India is ranked no.1 in the T20Is and being an Indian fan, I don't consider us no.1. Everyone knows that Pakistan inflated their rankings by beating depleted sides of top teams, whose top players were playing the IPL. They were ranked 5th before the New Zealand series started and this is where they finished in the World Cup.

In one of your earlier posts, you mentioned that Pakistan lost 4 matches in the 1999 World Cup but ignored that they won 7 matches in the same competition. You are the same guy who celebrates the 2022 t20 WC result where the team won 4 matches and lost 3. So is a 4-3 W/L record better than a 7-4 W/L record?

And I am not even a Pakistani so you don't accuse me of being high on nostalgia.

 

[corleone]

Defeats like today don't disappoint nor take me by surprise anymore. The lesser teams like Afghanistan have closed the gap and the better teams like India have widened the gap.

We can sit and talk about selection conundrums all day long- who should open, who should make up the middle order but the truth is that no matter who we select the results will be the same. Granted, stupid selections like Amir and Azam don't help our cause.

Sad to see that something that once brought so much happiness is now a source of pain and misery. There needs to be a complete turnaround in how we approach cricket- from grassroots, to pitches, to selection based on merit. We should adopt a setup similar to India and all non-performing age fudgers need to be dropped immediately.

 

[Rana]

How could you be a minnow when you have 2 top ranked T20 batsmen??

 

[Asif321]

Karma! Thanks to misbah , Ramiz , Babar and Naqvi team has been brought to lowest ever in history

 

[aukhan]

But but we have the world’s best T20 batsmen in our side. He is a braand he is better than Kohli.

 

[thelandofthebravepeople]

Pakistan cricket is always 1 step forward and 2-3 step backwards.

It all starts with the chairman. Every PM brings their own guy with no regards to continuity or stability. Chopping and changing never helps. I would not blame the players. Blame the leadership/structure of PCB.

 

[aukhan]

Can someone post some meaningless stats or a beautifully written three paragraph piece to justify Babar's incompetence as a leader?

 

[batandballbattle]

If things continue the way they are we will soon have to forget mediocrity and accept our minnow level status

 

[shokz1408]

Today’s loss was disappointing, not painful, the hurt lasts for a few mins following the match, and over. Reason being, it’s expected, atleast for me. Losing to Ireland recently, beaten by afghans in a World Cup fairly recently, been playing poor cricket for a very long time. Upsets are very much expected with this Pakistan line up, they’re not even upsets anymore we are closer to associates then we are to the top teams.

 

[aukhan]

T20 is the only format in which we can compete against top teams. These performances are very disheartening. How much lower can it go?
Afghanistan loss still hurts. Are we losing to Uganda or PNG someday in the near future.

 

[ahmed16]

Can someone post some meaningless stats or a beautifully written three paragraph piece to justify Babar's incompetence as a leader?

The thing is he's a decent leader of men,
from the pov that a captain is only really as good as his team.

You can write a three paragraph rant about Babars incompetence, thats fair but one also has to acknowledge that apart from maybe 3-4 players in that squad, the rest are really all there to make up numbers.

And realistically, apart from maybe one or two selections, this squad was picked on merit, with the PSL (wrongly or rightly) as the measurement for selection.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

The only dissapointing thing is that im not surprised

 

[Kroll]

I agree with folks saying it somewhat expected. We have two openers that play at snails pace are no longer consistent as they once were. Then there is no proper batsmen from 5 down, what can you expect with such a makeup of the team.

On top of that, there is no accountability. An ex captain making himself captain again. Dads shoehorning their unfit sons into the team, friends that are pensioners being picked etc, the list goes on.

 

[IAJ]

Seems like cricket going the hockey way, you can have the talent, but modern day sports demands way way more from you and Pakistan are behind in most of those facets.

And I am glad I have moved on and not that much emotionally attached to the game as I used to be. Had this defeat come a few years ago I would have been very hurt, but doesn’t matter anymore, just a little bit disappointed, nothing more.

 

[rickroll]

Can someone post some meaningless stats or a beautifully written three paragraph piece to justify Babar's incompetence as a leader?

This is what ChatGPT came up with when I asked it to write 2 paragraphs to glorify Babar despite today's loss. I hope it gives you comfort during our troubled times defending our 11 fan boys

Despite a surprising loss to the lower-ranked USA team, Babar Azam’s leadership and individual performances continue to shine as a beacon of hope and excellence for Pakistan cricket. As one of the finest batsmen in the world, Babar has consistently demonstrated his prowess on the field, amassing impressive records across all formats of the game. His exceptional batting skills, characterized by a classical technique and an insatiable hunger for runs, have made him a linchpin for the Pakistan batting line-up. Under his captaincy, Pakistan has witnessed significant victories, including historic Test series wins against South Africa and a T20 series triumph against New Zealand. Babar’s own batting averages and consistency have earned him a place among the top-ranked batsmen globally, reinforcing his role as a leading figure in international cricket.


Babar Azam’s leadership has been marked by a blend of tactical acumen and a calm demeanor, which has been instrumental in nurturing young talent and building a cohesive team unit. His ability to inspire and motivate his teammates has led to the emergence of several promising players who have made notable contributions to the team’s success. Babar’s emphasis on fitness, discipline, and a positive team culture has also fostered an environment where players can thrive and perform to their potential. Despite setbacks, including unexpected defeats, his resilience and commitment to the team’s progress remain unwavering. Babar’s captaincy is not just about the matches won but also about the steady growth and development of Pakistan cricket, making him an exemplary leader in the sport.

 

[Buffet]

This is what ChatGPT came up with when I asked it to write 2 paragraphs to glorify Babar despite today's loss. I hope it gives you comfort during our troubled times defending our 11 fan boys

Despite a surprising loss to the lower-ranked USA team, Babar Azam’s leadership and individual performances continue to shine as a beacon of hope and excellence for Pakistan cricket. As one of the finest batsmen in the world, Babar has consistently demonstrated his prowess on the field, amassing impressive records across all formats of the game. His exceptional batting skills, characterized by a classical technique and an insatiable hunger for runs, have made him a linchpin for the Pakistan batting line-up. Under his captaincy, Pakistan has witnessed significant victories, including historic Test series wins against South Africa and a T20 series triumph against New Zealand. Babar’s own batting averages and consistency have earned him a place among the top-ranked batsmen globally, reinforcing his role as a leading figure in international cricket.


Babar Azam’s leadership has been marked by a blend of tactical acumen and a calm demeanor, which has been instrumental in nurturing young talent and building a cohesive team unit. His ability to inspire and motivate his teammates has led to the emergence of several promising players who have made notable contributions to the team’s success. Babar’s emphasis on fitness, discipline, and a positive team culture has also fostered an environment where players can thrive and perform to their potential. Despite setbacks, including unexpected defeats, his resilience and commitment to the team’s progress remain unwavering. Babar’s captaincy is not just about the matches won but also about the steady growth and development of Pakistan cricket, making him an exemplary leader in the sport.

LOL.

I didn't get to watch the match live, but checking the scorecard here.

How come Babar as an opener scored only 9 runs by the end of 9th overs? It's just 20 overs game.

Did USA bowl that well or it was a poor batting by Babar?

Watching highlights made it look like pitch was fine and infact USA was not much troubled despite facing international level bowlers. So pitch was not a reason for scoring 9 runs in 9 overs.

 

[BouncerGuy]

TBH, apart from 3-4 players all of the other squad is selected just to complete the 15-member squad. PCB knew that they are bad but selected them in the RAILU KATTA quota.

Some of the players I would like to mention who got selected in this quota are:

AZAM KHAN
IFTIKHAR
SHADAB
RIZWAN (YEAH, i named him because this guy is bad)
BABAR AZAM ( CAPTIAN QUOTA as well)
NASEEM
SAIM

Let me know if I missed any

 

[sam_ahm]

Many here would not know but Pakistan used to be a very good cricketing team in the past. It is sad to see that they are now losing to the USA, a normal American (not from subcontinent) would not even know what cricket is!!!

How come they have come to this?

 

[ExpressPacer]

Many here would not know but Pakistan used to be a very good cricketing team in the past. It is sad to see that they are now losing to the USA, a normal American (not from subcontinent) would not even know what cricket is!!!

How come they have come to this?

We used to be a nation…

 

[AMSS]

Many here would not know but Pakistan used to be a very good cricketing team in the past. It is sad to see that they are now losing to the USA, a normal American (not from subcontinent) would not even know what cricket is!!!

How come they have come to this?

If being a very good team means top 3-4, then Pakistan have not been a very good team for the last 25 years.

 

[Kroll]

TBH, apart from 3-4 players all of the other squad is selected just to complete the 15-member squad. PCB knew that they are bad but selected them in the RAILU KATTA quota.

Some of the players I would like to mention who got selected in this quota are:

AZAM KHAN
IFTIKHAR
SHADAB
RIZWAN (YEAH, i named him because this guy is bad)
BABAR AZAM ( CAPTIAN QUOTA as well)
NASEEM
SAIM

Let me know if I missed any

Usman Khan
Fakhar
Rauf
SSA

 

[Misbahs_tuktuk]

LOL.

I didn't get to watch the match live, but checking the scorecard here.

How come Babar as an opener scored only 9 runs by the end of 9th overs? It's just 20 overs game.

Did USA bowl that well or it was a poor batting by Babar?

Watching highlights made it look like pitch was fine and infact USA was not much troubled despite facing international level bowlers. So pitch was not a reason for scoring 9 runs in 9 overs.

There was movement early on but it’s USA. The pitch was still good for scoring runs .

USA ran singles hard and even some doubles. Babar did not.

Three clowns opposite him threw away their wicket (usman literally finding one of two men out the circle) . Babar went into his shell.

It’s pretty much the same story form Misbah days. Too slow, not taking singles, then losing wickets in middle of innings giving the remaining 6-7-8 batsmen too much to do expecting them to get 100 off 9-10-11 overs to post a decent total

 

[mominsaigol]

There was movement early on but it’s USA. The pitch was still good for scoring runs .

USA ran singles hard and even some doubles. Babar did not.

Three clowns opposite him threw away their wicket (usman literally finding one of two men out the circle) . Babar went into his shell.

It’s pretty much the same story form Misbah days. Too slow, not taking singles, then losing wickets in middle of innings giving the remaining 6-7-8 batsmen too much to do expecting them to get 100 off 9-10-11 overs to post a decent total

No one listened to me when I said babar has been out of form since 2022 and its been 2 years.

Many called me stupid for claiming such a thing and said I'm a blind Bobby hater. They should know I based my info on his performance in last 2 years aka his declining avg and sr over 2 years

 

[Kianig89]

Tbh now we are tier below mediocrity , a bottom team is the right word

 

[Kroll]

Think we are now desensitized by the trauma of defeats!

This in a nutshell. @topspin

However, this USA defeat was taking trauma to new levels of depravity and morbidness.

 

[Buffet]

There was movement early on but it’s USA. The pitch was still good for scoring runs .

USA ran singles hard and even some doubles. Babar did not.

Three clowns opposite him threw away their wicket (usman literally finding one of two men out the circle) . Babar went into his shell.

It’s pretty much the same story form Misbah days. Too slow, not taking singles, then losing wickets in middle of innings giving the remaining 6-7-8 batsmen too much to do expecting them to get 100 off 9-10-11 overs to post a decent total

So it seems it was mainly the case of poor batting. I guess Pakistan needs to forget this match and just try to win other matches. It was a horrible game.

 

[topspin]

This in a nutshell. @topspin

However, this USA defeat was taking trauma to new levels of depravity and morbidness.

I was watching the game passively on my secondary monitor, whilst I was gaming on my main display. There'e no way I'm prepared to subjugate myself to this and give my undivided attention to a team that has reappointed the most substandard choice of captain there is in the squad.

 

[Saj]

I have to admit, I expect Pakistan to lose more often than they win these days.

There used to be a time when if Pakistan lost, it would ruin my day. These days I just expect it.

Mediocre cricketers, only playing the sport for personal gain.

 

[Asif321]

Sarfraz should retire and be brought as team manager . We need galliyan and pitai from him . After Sarfraz , babar has taken team for a ride . Kept his friends accepted mediocrity. No real spark from him and he enjoyed the power given to him . He basically misused the authority and was shameless enough to accepted second term .

 

[RahulBose]

Sarfraz should retire and be brought as team manager . We need galliyan and pitai from him . After Sarfraz , babar has taken team for a ride . Kept his friends accepted mediocrity. No real spark from him and he enjoyed the power given to him . He basically misused the authority and was shameless enough to accepted second term .

Sarfraz was the last pakistani cricketer who had the zeal to win and punch above your weight. Something players like Babar or even Sachin (huge fan btw) do not have.