Pakistan’s narrow six-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup was heartbreaking for the team and fans alike. Young bowler Naseem Shah was seen with tears in his eyes after the match, mirroring the sentiments of countless supporters both in Pakistan and at the stadium, all left to ponder the what-ifs of the game.
Former Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar shared his profound disappointment in a brief but pointed 121-second clip on his YouTube channel, titled “Pakistan Did Their Best To Lose”. In his critique, Akhtar pointed out that while India’s middle order had a poor showing in the first innings, collapsing and failing to capitalize on a strong start that could have seen them post a much higher total, Pakistan missed a golden opportunity to secure a win.
Shoaib Akhtar, who has a significant record against India with 19 wins out of 38 matches across all formats, emphasized the importance of wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan’s role. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored for Pakistan with 31 runs, and Akhtar suggested that had he stayed longer at the crease and added a few more runs, the outcome could have been different. Despite this, Akhtar was critical of the strategic errors that plagued Pakistan’s performance.
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“Very disappointing. It was a run-a-ball chance for Pakistan. Earlier, India’s middle-order messed it up. They were 80-odd in 11 overs and could’ve achieved around 160, but couldn’t. But for Pakistan, it was a close chance. Rizwan could’ve scored another 20 runs and won the game for the team. Sadly, we didn’t apply our brains,” Shoaib Akhtar stated in his video.
Continuing his analysis, Shoaib Akhtar expressed serious concerns about the intent and strategic application displayed by the Pakistan team, deeming their performance highly questionable. He lamented the profound disappointment that the team felt, asserting that the victory was well within their reach.
Shoaib Akhtar highlighted the comfortable position Pakistan found themselves in, with the required runs within reach and plenty of wickets in hand. Ultimately, he admitted to being rendered speechless and deeply perturbed by the result.
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“A lot of things are questionable, their intent, the application, it’s really sad for the team. Pakistan should’ve won this game. They were pretty much in the game, requiring 46 runs in 47 balls when Fakhar was there. We had 7 wickets in hand, but we couldn’t do it. I’m speechless and hurt, that’s about it,” Shoaib Akhtar added, encapsulating the frustration and missed opportunities that defined the match for Pakistan.
