Parthiv Patel Slams Babar Azam for T20 World Cup Performance

Parthiv Patel Slams Babar Azam for T20 World Cup Performance

‘If the modern cricketers are capable of scoring around 150-160 runs in a single partnership, our Pakistani players are coming hard at around 120,’ quipped Parthiv Patel.

‘If the modern cricketers are capable of scoring around 150-160 runs in a single partnership, our Pakistani players are coming hard at around 120,’ quipped Parthiv Patel. 

Parthiv Patel voiced his displeasure against Babar Azam after the mature player guided Pakistan to an embarrassing group-stage exit in the T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan’s cricket team called the ‘Men in Green’ had been beaten by the USA and later by the Indian team during group stages. Even though they were able to register victories against Canada and Ireland later in the competition, such a feat was insufficient to bail them out of the competition which ended in disappointment.

After a shocking exit from the tournament, the team that won the title in 2009 had their horizon of victory cut short by severe backlash, fans and critics included. This criticism also encompassed their skipper, Babar Azam, who had only recently seized the reins from Shaheen Afridi before the prestigious tournament, after he had relinquished the captaincy a year earlier last year.

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv called Babar "selfish", blaming him for putting his interests above the team's well-being.

In January, Pakistan had a cricket series against New Zealand. Saim Ayub, a talented player, started the innings with Mohammad Rizwan. But during the World Cup, Ayub didn’t play in the first few matches because Babar Azam, the captain, preferred to open the innings himself.

The cricketer-turned-expert, in his comments, stated that, unlike the Indian team, the Pakistan team does not have players well suited for T20, players who can score at a rate above 150 to 160. 

‘They don’t have players; they don’t have T20 kind of players,’ opined Parthiv going by the current format and the accelerating standards of cricket by stating that a strike rate of 150-160 forms the international benchmark and that the Pakistani players are lagging far behind this mark at 120s. 

In November, Pakistan’s cricket team will play matches in Australia against the current champions of the 50-over World Cup. They will have three One Day International (ODI) matches in Melbourne on November 4th, Adelaide on November 8th, and Perth on November 10th. After that, they will play three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches in Brisbane on November 14th, Sydney on November 16th, and Hobart on November 18th.