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Shahid Afridi blames Pakistan's poor preparation for their World Cup performances

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ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Khan Afridi has said that all the participating nations in the World Cup were fully prepared for last three months or so, while Pakistan cricket team was not prepared till the last moment.

In an interview with The Nation, Afridi said: “All the teams had given chances to the players, who they had finalised for the World Cup. They worked on their fitness, batting, fielding and ensured no last moment issues. They had checked and given chances to all those players, who they wanted to take for the world cup. They all know the world cup comes after four years, so they wanted to give their best.

“When we were playing One-Day series against Australia in UAE, we had given rest to our six key players including skipper Sarfraz Ahmed. The selectors and PCB must have to pay heed towards such areas of high importance. The PCB should have ensured a set combination and give much-needed confidence to the players. Pakistan team failed to take advantage from the fact that they are the only team after hosts, who were in England well before start of the mega event and they had ample time to adjust and prepare a set combination,” he added.

Boom Boom said: “Look at Pakistan team, they kept on making major changes in the side prior to start of the World Cup. Both performers Muhammad Aamir and Wahab Riaz were out of the world cup squad. Wholesale changes in the squad never produced good results. The players, who were part of Pakistan One-Day team for England series were dropped and replaced. Such things, when world cup is round the corner, never help, rather create more complications. We should have been fully prepared and roaring to go but Pakistan team had to face the worst defeat in the very first match of the world cup at the hands of teams like West Indies, which dented the team’s chances in the world cup.

“The bad start then never let Pakistan team recover from the shock. Although it was highly humiliating loss, yet the team did produce over-the-moon result against England, who were hot favourites. While when the momentum was at Pakistan side, the rain spoiled all the good work done by the green caps against Sri Lanka. Had rain not washed out play, Pakistan could have qualified for the World Cup semifinals,” he added.

Afridi said that after losing the very first match, the team management should have realised the importance of maintaining healthy run-rate, but they failed to address the core issue and loss to Australia was another defining moment. Pakistan team was down and out while chasing a massive total but they recovered well and could have pose serious challenge to Aussies, but after coming close, they once again lost the momentum and were beaten comprehensively by the Kangroos.

“The the green shirts had golden chance against New Zealand to not only register victory, but also give huge boost to run-rate, but they failed to take advantage and won the match in the last over, despite having seven wickets in hand. Haris and Babar Azam could have finished off Kiwis with hefty overs to spare and the most shocking result was against Afghanistan, where Pakistan team looked off-coloured and almost gifted the match to the minnows. Pakistan should have win this match with at least 10 to 15 overs spare, but wickets fell like nine pins and it was master class performances by Imad Wasim and Wahab Riaz, who saved the match for Pakistan,” he added.

He said that Pakistan played superb cricket in later stages. “Our fielding was pathetic throughout the World Cup while bowling and batting was sometimes average and sometimes below average. Only two batsmen managed to score runs and also helped Pakistan score victories. I think PCB has noticed those mistakes and things will change for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. I am on UK tour to promote my autobiography and the response I am getting here is beyond words,” Afridi concluded.

https://nation.com.pk/10-Jul-2019/pakistan-went-to-world-cup-unprepared-afridi
 
” Our fielding was pathetic throughout the World Cup while bowling and batting was sometimes average and sometimes below average. Only two batsmen managed to score runs and also helped Pakistan score victories. I think PCB has noticed those mistakes and things will change for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. “
As a major former cricket superstar Shahid Afridi should be aware of the fitness programs for our national cricket team, and so should make concrete and constructive suggestions in areas that need focus and improvement. Simply criticizing for the sake of point scoring is not conducive to cricketers who are trying their hardest despite the turmoil around them.
 
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Self contradictory statements of our former stars and so called experts continue. Within a sentence or two he goes from super cricket to below average batting and fielding.

Does anybody notice such crap?
 
The 300+ games veteran with batting average of 20 odd and bowling average of 30 odd has opinions
 
WC is every four years.PCB hade enough time to induct new players but it kept faith in mediocre players like Hafeez and Malik.Asif Ali was selected because of his performance PSL.Fifty over game is different from T20 as Afghans found out.Imad has done ok but we need a proper spin bowler.Shadab needs to improve a lot to stay in the team
 
Mashaallah Lala can still give these current players a run for their money :sendoff
 
Great analysis if you ignore the analyst - but it’s hard to take these former players seriously as analysts when you can still picture them making the same mistakes repeatedly in their own careers not that long ago.

Some day batting legends Hafeez and Malik will also be criticising young batsmen for their faulty techniques and inability to bat against swing or bounce.. that’s the irony.
 
Unfortunately, all these ex-players are experts AFTER they retire, not DURING their playing days!!

'Shahid afridi out 6(2)"
 
It was muddled thinking.
Picking Yasir Shah against the Aussies and then picking him again against England...
Dropping Shinwari from the initial squad and then replacing Fahim at the last minute when so much was invested in them leading up to the WC..

Some curious and illogical decisions taken leading up to the WC then silly selections during the first two to three games of the cup...
 
Great analysis if you ignore the analyst - but it’s hard to take these former players seriously as analysts when you can still picture them making the same mistakes repeatedly in their own careers not that long ago.

Some day batting legends Hafeez and Malik will also be criticising young batsmen for their faulty techniques and inability to bat against swing or bounce.. that’s the irony.

Lamo. This is so true. Imagine them telling Babar against pace, swing and bounce. The icing on the cake will be malik telling him how to pull or hook. Imagine them calling a batsmen with 40+ average not good enough.
 
The day we changed the fielding coach (by not paying him) the quality of fielding went downhill.

Lesson being - only change a coach unless absolutely necessary.
 
Lamo. This is so true. Imagine them telling Babar against pace, swing and bounce. The icing on the cake will be malik telling him how to pull or hook. Imagine them calling a batsmen with 40+ average not good enough.

Yes can imagine PTV introducing them as cricketing legends when they come to the studio as analysts in a few years time and we will hear them say: ‘ yeh aaj kal ke fast bowler jo Babar aur Imam ul Haq ne face kiye hain to kuch bhi neheen , hum ne to muqabla kiya tha Dale Steyn, Brett Lee, Mitchell Starc jaisay behtareen fast bowlers ka” Yes we all know how many 100s you scored against them :)
 
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The day we changed the fielding coach (by not paying him) the quality of fielding went downhill.

Lesson being - only change a coach unless absolutely necessary.

PCB didn't change it - he walked out, he'd had enough of being paid late.
 
“The the green shirts had golden chance against New Zealand to not only register victory, but also give huge boost to run-rate, but they failed to take advantage and won the match in the last over, despite having seven wickets in hand. Haris and Babar Azam could have finished off Kiwis with hefty overs to spare and the most shocking result was against Afghanistan, where Pakistan team looked off-coloured and almost gifted the match to the minnows. Pakistan should have win this match with at least 10 to 15 overs spare, but wickets fell like nine pins and it was master class performances by Imad Wasim and Wahab Riaz, who saved the match for Pakistan,” he added.

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Superb 'analysis'. I give it 0 (1).
 
“The the green shirts had golden chance against New Zealand to not only register victory, but also give huge boost to run-rate, but they failed to take advantage and won the match in the last over, despite having seven wickets in hand. Haris and Babar Azam could have finished off Kiwis with hefty overs to spare and the most shocking result was against Afghanistan, where Pakistan team looked off-coloured and almost gifted the match to the minnows. Pakistan should have win this match with at least 10 to 15 overs spare, but wickets fell like nine pins and it was master class performances by Imad Wasim and Wahab Riaz, who saved the match for Pakistan,” he added.

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Superb 'analysis'. I give it 0 (1).

First ball blind slog and caught at Long off. Talking utter rubbish and nonsense as usual.
 
I would go to watch this film but it will probably only last 1 minute in which they will show plenty of mindless violence by a hero with a long mane, watched in awe by his very close protégé. No enemy will be harmed but cinema audience will clap wildly anyway.

Unfortunately, the movie will end before I have taken the first bite of my apple, with the hero exiting the stage suddenly.
 
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