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I'm done supporting Pakistan in white-ball cricket. Their recent performance isn't the issue; it's the antics and values of the players. In fact, the majority of the T20I team embodies everything I DETEST in life.
White Ball Players
Starting with the T20 World Cup squad, the players I admire are in green text, players I detest are in red text, and those I'm ambivalent about are in orange text. Personally, Fakhar, Naseem, and Usman Khan are the only players I genuinely root for. They work hard, stay out of drama, are fit, fearless, and seem selfless.
Fakhar: Our only modern batsman with the ability to win matches singlehandedly. He can be frustrating, but no one can accuse him of being a stats padder, unfit, or engaging in team politics. Even when asked to bat at 4, he didn't complain as much as other players have when they have been asked to bat in their unnatural positions. He seems like a decent team man.
Naseem: This guy has serious heart. Fine, he may not be the same bowler post-injury; but you can tell he gives it his all. He looks fit, does not shy away from playing Test matches, and doesn’t engage in team politics.
Usman Khan: He still has a lot to prove internationally, but I admire him for giving up playing for the UAE (where he could have made more money and had a stable career) to represent his country of birth. A risky move likely to his detriment. While he may not be ready for international cricket, I root for him because of the sacrifice he made.
The rest seem selfish, engage in too much politics, don't take their fitness seriously, or are just daft. Yes, they are Pakistani and I have a bias to support them because of that, but when so many players fall into this category, I can't support them any longer. It's reached a point where I want these three players to do well and everyone else to fail.
In essence, I only like 3 out of 15 players, which is too low a number. So why should I support such a team?
Past Players
You could argue that teams from yesteryears had players with issues too, like Shoaib Akhtar with discipline issues and Wasim Akram with various fixing allegations. But:
The greatness of those players somewhat compensated for their personal issues. Today’s players have average ability, so their personal issues aren't compensated for by their talent (it reminds me of Barney Stinson’s graph from How I Met Your Mother—everything below the line should be rejected).
Looking at previous World Cup squads, I admired the majority of players. But liking only 3 out of 15 today is too low for me.
Red-Ball Players
That being said, I find our red-ball team more likable. I genuinely liked most of the players who played against Australia in 2023/2024:
Aamer Jamal: Used to drive a taxi in Australia and worked hard to get where he is.
Mir Hamza: A disciplined bowler with no drama, toiled in FC cricket/county, and worked hard for his spot.
Saud Shakeel: Has a good swag about him and seems to be trying to reinvent himself to become more aggressive.
Shan Masood: Though not universally liked, I think he's a dynamic captain who likes to take the game on.
Salman Agha: Good technique, fit, and can field. Just a likable guy.
Khurram Shahzad: I don't know much about him, but he seems like a simple guy, and I want to see him do well.
etc
Conclusion:
I'll only support the limited-over team till the majority of our players get in-line and develop a proper work ethic. Till then, Afghanistan is my team
.
What do you guys think?
Was this World Cup T20 2024 squad the most unlikable team in Pakistan cricket history?
And if so, to what extent does it affect your support of the team?
White Ball Players
Starting with the T20 World Cup squad, the players I admire are in green text, players I detest are in red text, and those I'm ambivalent about are in orange text. Personally, Fakhar, Naseem, and Usman Khan are the only players I genuinely root for. They work hard, stay out of drama, are fit, fearless, and seem selfless.
![8LVbrDq.png](https://i.imgur.com/8LVbrDq.png)
Fakhar: Our only modern batsman with the ability to win matches singlehandedly. He can be frustrating, but no one can accuse him of being a stats padder, unfit, or engaging in team politics. Even when asked to bat at 4, he didn't complain as much as other players have when they have been asked to bat in their unnatural positions. He seems like a decent team man.
Naseem: This guy has serious heart. Fine, he may not be the same bowler post-injury; but you can tell he gives it his all. He looks fit, does not shy away from playing Test matches, and doesn’t engage in team politics.
Usman Khan: He still has a lot to prove internationally, but I admire him for giving up playing for the UAE (where he could have made more money and had a stable career) to represent his country of birth. A risky move likely to his detriment. While he may not be ready for international cricket, I root for him because of the sacrifice he made.
The rest seem selfish, engage in too much politics, don't take their fitness seriously, or are just daft. Yes, they are Pakistani and I have a bias to support them because of that, but when so many players fall into this category, I can't support them any longer. It's reached a point where I want these three players to do well and everyone else to fail.
In essence, I only like 3 out of 15 players, which is too low a number. So why should I support such a team?
Past Players
You could argue that teams from yesteryears had players with issues too, like Shoaib Akhtar with discipline issues and Wasim Akram with various fixing allegations. But:
The greatness of those players somewhat compensated for their personal issues. Today’s players have average ability, so their personal issues aren't compensated for by their talent (it reminds me of Barney Stinson’s graph from How I Met Your Mother—everything below the line should be rejected).
![mSZzuIE.png](https://i.imgur.com/mSZzuIE.png)
Looking at previous World Cup squads, I admired the majority of players. But liking only 3 out of 15 today is too low for me.
Red-Ball Players
That being said, I find our red-ball team more likable. I genuinely liked most of the players who played against Australia in 2023/2024:
Aamer Jamal: Used to drive a taxi in Australia and worked hard to get where he is.
Mir Hamza: A disciplined bowler with no drama, toiled in FC cricket/county, and worked hard for his spot.
Saud Shakeel: Has a good swag about him and seems to be trying to reinvent himself to become more aggressive.
Shan Masood: Though not universally liked, I think he's a dynamic captain who likes to take the game on.
Salman Agha: Good technique, fit, and can field. Just a likable guy.
Khurram Shahzad: I don't know much about him, but he seems like a simple guy, and I want to see him do well.
etc
Conclusion:
I'll only support the limited-over team till the majority of our players get in-line and develop a proper work ethic. Till then, Afghanistan is my team
![Flag: Afghanistan :flag_af: 🇦🇫](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f1e6-1f1eb.png)
What do you guys think?
Was this World Cup T20 2024 squad the most unlikable team in Pakistan cricket history?
And if so, to what extent does it affect your support of the team?