KARACHI: Former players spoke for millions of disappointed fans Friday after Pakistan crashed out of the World Twenty20 semi-finals, blaming defeat on poor planning and lacklustre batting.
Pakistan lost to hosts Sri Lanka by 16 runs in the first semi-final Thursday, having failed to beat a modest 140-run target.
"Our openers looked in a panic," former captain Asif Iqbal told AFP.
"The target was not easy on a slow turning pitch, but had the planning been there it could have been chased, but batsmen did not try to stay at the wicket."
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath (3-25) and Ajantha Mendis (2-27) derailed Pakistan, who were eventually restricted to 123-7 in 20 overs.
Other former Pakistani stars blamed poor selection for the batting collapse.
"We should have played Asad Shafiq. He is our most composed and technically sound player and he should have been in the team," said former captain Aamir Sohail.
Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir said veteran all-rounder Abdul Razzaq should not have been dropped. He was replaced by paceman Sohail Tanveer.
"You needed proper planning to chase down a total," said another former captain, Zaheer Abbas. "Our batsmen didn't play according to the situation and pitch conditions. I thought 140 was gettable in the match but the application was missing."
Popular all-rounder Shahid Afridi was also singled out for criticism.
Player of the tournament when Pakistan won the World Twenty20 in 2009, Afridi managed just 30 runs in five innings and took four wickets in six matches.
"He was cruelly out of form," said former batsman Basit Ali. "I think he should retire now because he was a big disappointment in the tournament. Hafeez also made a blunder by insisting on opening the innings."
COMMENTS (23)
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@A. Khan: What you have say about rallies and hartals almost every week in pak. Have you heard it any where in world so many hartala and strikes??
Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik should have been replaced by Razzaq and Asad Shafiq.
Not sure what was the reason behind not selecting Razzaq. Our professor needs to come out of his professor mentality.
Unbelievable! I was sitting right there in crowd among so many Sri Lankans who on every run use to cheer for their team. But whenever there was a fall of one, and we used to stand up n cheer for our bowlers and fielders....I swear I could see them saying words to us, but we were still happy as there was a hope in us that no matter what we will surely make it to the final ! But God knows what happened to our batsmen,I wish K.Akmal wouldn't have given an out ! He was so not out ! I wonder what was wrong with the umpire there .Anyway Afridi too was in hurry or something ! Whatever have happened in match, I'm still proud of Men in Green. We all need to support them rather than calling them with the names! They tried their best...you all need to see the atmosphere there, around 98%people were cheering for Sri Lanka n calling our guys with names, I swear the crowd which I have seen there is pathetic! Me and Sis where cheering for Afridi and we couldn't finished our sentence n Afridi was bowled out! And the way Sri Lankans haunted us...it was surely more than a nightmare! Point of telling you all about my experience at Colombo is that it's really difficulty to win on someone else's homeground...our team were doing a great job and they need our support! Lets just not treat them like that! They deserve some respect!
Here we go. I thought there will be some praise or an advise which can be helpful for the team to improve in coming games. But as usual, after the match, all these formal players, so called experts give their comments, critising team, selectors, coach etc. After the match, even kindergarten can give same comments as these experts.
@Khaksar: It's tougue-in-cheek man...although part of it makes sense :)
Centuries ago, the Romans introduced their populations to spectator sports like gladiator combat to the death or chariot racing. The primary goal behind that was to divert the population's attention from everyday issues to something else.
While T20 cricket might be the modern non-lethal equivalent of gladiator fighting, it serves no purpose apart from getting people talking about team selection and tactics. Whereas they should be discussing energy, education and health care, very important things our country is seriously lacking in.
Time to get back to work people. Cricket takes up too much time and leads to lost productivity. That and arbitrary public holidays means the country has lost a significant portion of its GDP. Because if we continue down this road, there won't be a country left. Then the only recourse might the other attention diverters i.e. alcohol and drugs.
@jamal khan khakwani seriously? :)
@ Green Oval learn humility. That helps.
Hey guys,
I was looking for some reactions after the defeat in semi final of T20WC. This is really embracing to know, pak fans lost faith in the team, claim this- that person for responsibility;
It's just a game man, If a team wins then the other team has to loose. At least do favor and support the men who went SL to win the CUP; managed to get into Semi-Final. They are also human not god; can make mistakes.
Winning S/F should have taken Pakistanis at top of the world and something to cheer about when situation is gloomy-doomy at home. However, Pakistanis should consider the fate of other teams ie defending champions England knocked out, much hyped India not making to s/f and now mighty Aussies losing to un-fancied West Indies in s/f. So cheer up and think positive as Pakistan played a lot better than the fancied teams.
All praise to the doom doom Afridi, he is the man responsible for Pakistans debacle. He should not have been selected in the team for the world cup. Afridi is gone and not good for carrying water bottles even
very good that Pakistan exited thanks to this we are spared of unneccesary tension everyday
I disagree with people saying that T20 is luck
In fact T20 is more about precision and focus as the time is little to get as much score as possible
Also there is no time to experiment in T20, hence it is more challenging that other forms of cricket
Such an emotional nation. What laurels did these players like Aamer sohail and Basit Ali bring to Pakistan that they start criticizing our national heroes? Cut them some slack. Why is it when only when Pakistan and India loses, the former players, fans and media goes berserk. England, being tournament favourites, lost and didnt proceed to semis and there was no hue and cry from their former players and media. If we relish the moments when they win the world cup for us we need to support them when they finish in top four of the tournament despite all the domestic problems of not playing at home and so on. So guys please stop giving these old players so much importance. Guys like Asif Iqbal and Zaheer Abbas retired even before 50 over format was properly entrenched in the calendar. This is twenty20. So lets be positive!
@ suleman Cricket ,T20 in particular, is majorly about luck..
Our biggest problem is the nepotism and favorism. Poor management and planning continue to take the team down the drain. Everything we do seems to be reactive rather than proactive. Hope that the think tanks of the PCB think about Pakistan first rather than the province, regions and the cities.
Hold on, Pakistan is one of the happiest country in the world. All bomb blasts,violence, bad economy and all that could not make nation sad but one defeat in cricket game...ouch
pakistan went in to semis by luck :D
The team needs literate players who can suss out tactics and situations and learn from experience. The team that lost was devoid of most requirements. Sad.
Yes. We are saddened. I still don't understand why we have Sohail tanveer. We should also give umar Gul a break. Need to bring new faces.
Disappointed. If imaran nazir replaced with asad and sohail with razaq than result could have been diffent. Lack of sound planning to chase target was also a blunder committed by pakistanis. Pakistan team really disappoint all pakistani fans.
Look guys, T20 is a lottery. No need to get upset over a loss or no need to overboard over a win. Reserve all these emotions for the big games, ie Test matches
Sorry to say this sadness is Temp. i myself not so much sad, i am very normal doing all my routine stuff..everything is possible in this world. everyone should have sports understandings... NO TEAM can win every time...