'Can't blame the weather. Should've beaten USA and India': Vaughan's hard-hitting remark on Babar Azam's captaincy
Babar Azam of Pakistan plays a shot during the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 match between Pakistan and Canada
Pakistan endured an early exit in the T20 World Cup on Friday, having registered just one win in their first three matches of the group stage. Their survival in the edition depended on Ireland's win over the United States, but the match was washed out without a ball being bowled in Lauderhill. Babar Azam's men had earlier faced a shocking loss to the USA in their opening match and also handed a narrow six-run defeat by arch-rivals India.
Throughout their campaign, Babar faced significant criticism for his leadership and former England captain Michael Vaughan has come down hard on the Pakistan skipper, stating that he never was a T20 captain. Babar didn't help himself with his performances with the bat, too, scoring a slow 44 against USA before being dismissed for just 13 against India. He came at no.3 against Canada but scored 33.
“I still don’t see him as a T20 captain. I see him as a Test and 50-over captain, in those formats in which he excels as a player. In T20 cricket, his game is very good, a pure player, but he is not up there with the top 15 batters in the world in T20 cricket. I think there are better players than him up the order,” Vaughan said.
Vaughan further stated that Pakistan cannot “blame the weather” for their elimination in the tournament and that the side should've performed better in their matches against the USA and India. The United States forced a tie, levelling Pakistan's 159-run score before defeating them in the Super Over. Against India, the side was in a winning position, needing run-a-ball 48 in the 120-run chase. However, the side collapsed and ended six runs short of the target.
“They can’t blame the weather. They should’ve beaten the United States and India. If they had won those two games, they would have advanced to the Super Eights," Vaughan said.
"This is what Pakistan generally does at World Cups, which arrive and beat good teams. I didn’t expect them to come close to India. They should have won that match.
“In their game against the United States, they were poor. They were really poor down the back end defending. The four off the last ball, Super Over, was carnage. The ball was going over there, running two and three, and it was typical of Pakistan. They just panicked, and great credit to the United States. They held the nerve, played some good shots, and got over the line.”
Not a great white-ball team
Vaughan further added that Pakistan are a weak side when it comes to limited-overs formats. “I don’t see Pakistan at the minute as a great white-ball team. Even in the last World Cup, when they reached the final, I didn’t think they were a great side,” Vaughan concluded.
Pakistan had lost to England in the T20 World Cup final in 2022 and endured a forgettable outing in the ODI World Cup last year, finishing fifth with only four wins in nine matches.
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