Pakistan has one more game to play, of course, against Bangladesh, which is also out of dispute over the semifinals. That game in Rawalpindi on Thursday is also under a serious threat to rain, and perhaps a soaked garden field, and this was a wet week in the city.
AAQIB spoke extensively about the various permutations and combinations in the selection that team production could have improved in this tournament. But, clearly it was still hurt by the loss of India on Sunday, he pointed out that the XI of India had a much greater job in his curriculum than that of Pakistan.
“When Pakistan and India are playing, it’s not just a cricket, it’s more than that. You need a lot of experience,” Aaqib said. “This Indian team was the most experienced: they have almost 1500 games together. And Pakistan is at the bottom, with less than 400 games together. If you look at players like Babar Azam, [he] He is the only one who has played more than 100 games. Then there is Mohammad Rizwan [88 ODIs] And then Shaheen Afridi [64 ODIs].
“The rest of them have less than 30 games. Tayyab Tahir has played like eight games. Imam-uhaq [73 ODIs] I returned to the team. The main thing is, when nothing works, and when you are talking about more than a game, then the experience counts. There is no doubt. “
“In the same way, we had to bring Khushdil Shah because Saim was not suitable. The reason is that in the one day’s cryket, you can’t go with five bowling players. You have to make a combination of seven batters and four bowling players.
“When Saim was there, he used to hit the top and used to play five to seven overs. When he was not there, we saw that if you investigated a little, even with the excellent performances that Khushdil Shah has given in a year and a half of Crickt, his Wickts … There is no comparison. There is even a close case or anything, but our work in the selection committee was to give the best option to give the best option.”
In the absence of these players, the great five were reduced: Babar, Rizwan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Afridi to take a step forward, Aaqib said. But the winning performances of these players never arrived.
The five have received a particular fire in Pakistan since the exit of the team.
“An common person who does not play and is not part of the team’s management wants reasons and the names of the people for whom this team is losing,” AAQIB said. “With regard to Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Naseem and Haris, our plan was to do the best XI or XV possible. There is no doubt that Shaheen, Naseem and Haris are excellent bowling players. If you compare them with the bowling of bowling, they are one of the best fast support options.
“And if you look at Babar, apart from him, what other options do you have? We always say that if the team loses, the team changes. This is the most inexperienced team.”
Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer in Espncricinfo. @afidelf
