Senior all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has voiced his support for Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, in the aftermath of Pakistan’s unexpected exit from the Asia Cup 2023. Despite entering the tournament as the top-ranked ODI team and a prominent contender, Pakistan faced heavy criticism after failing to reach the final, ultimately finishing at the bottom of the Super Four stage, even behind Bangladesh.
Babar Azam’s captaincy came under intense scrutiny, particularly following Pakistan’s heart-wrenching last-ball loss to Sri Lanka in the virtual semi-final held in Colombo. Reports of internal discord within the Pakistan dressing room surfaced but were subsequently refuted by Pakistan journalists as baseless rumors.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Moin Khan highlighted Babar Azam’s lack of on-field support during their Super Four match against Sri Lanka. He suggested that the team appeared to lack unity, especially after their crushing 228-run defeat to India.
Babar Azam’s leadership has been questioned, especially in the match against India, where Pakistan allowed their rivals to amass 356 runs, with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul dominating in the middle overs. Criticism intensified after Pakistan failed to defend 252 in a rain-curtailed Super Four match against Sri Lanka.
Hafeez said
Mohammad Hafeez emphasized that blaming a single player would not resolve the issue and called for full support for Babar Azam, particularly with an eye on the upcoming World Cup. Hafeez suggested that discussions regarding a change in captaincy should be reserved for post-World Cup deliberations.
“If you don’t give credit only to the captain for reaching the final, then don’t blame the defeat only on the captain. Throwing blame on a single player will not solve the problem,” Hafeez said in an interaction with the media.
Pakistan’s struggles were compounded by the loss of fast bowler Naseem Shah to a shoulder injury, which forced him to miss their crucial match against Sri Lanka. Haris Rauf was also unavailable for the Super Four match due to a niggle suffered against India.
Hafeez urged patience and called for introspection to rectify the issues as Pakistan prepares for the World Cup in India. Acknowledging their shortcomings and seeking improvement was deemed crucial for Pakistan to move forward.
“We failed in the Asia Cup and we have to accept that. Only when we accept failure will we move towards improvement. There must have been mistakes in our planning as these players have been in the national side for the last two to three years,” Hafeez said.
Despite their Asia Cup disappointment, Pakistan now looks ahead to the World Cup with a focus on learning from their mistakes and working collectively to achieve success on the global stage.
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