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Former Pakistan cricketers have criticised captain Mohammad Hafeez for Pakistan team’s semi-final exit from the ongoing World T20 championship in Sri Lanka, saying some bad tactical decisions taken by the skipper led the team down in the crunch game.
In the first semi-final of the marquee tournament, played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, on Thursday night, Pakistan team failed to chase down a mediocre 140-run target set by Mahela Jayawardene led Sri Lanka.
Skipper Mohammad Hafeez was the leading run getter from Pakistan, with a 40-ball 42, as six of his batmen failed to get past single digit scores. Umar Akmal (29 not out) and Imran Nazir (20) were the other notable performers.
Earlier Pakistan spinners, who played key role in Pakistan’s progress to the knock out stages, struggled against the experienced Sri Lankan batsmen. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene (42) and veteran Tillakaratne Dilshan (35) provided the side with a sound start, with an opening stand of 63 runs, before the middle order took the charge of guiding the side to a respectable total of 139 for 4, with some late hitting.
Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas criticised Hafeez for leaving experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq out of the playing XI in the crunch game. He also suggested that wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal should have opened the innings for Pakistan last night.
"The batsmen didn't play according to the situation and pitch conditions. I thought 140 was gettable in the match but the application was missing and Hafeez got out at a very crucial time he should have finished off the game," added the legendary Pakistan batsman, who is also nicked as Asian Bradman.
Zaheer also urged the Pakistan Cricket Board officials to devise a sound strategy for future tours and tournaments as soon as possible, if they want to avoid repeat of such capitulations in future.
Another former skipper Rashid Latif reckoned 140 was a pretty much gettable total, had Pakistan team played sensibly.
"They could have got to 140 on this pitch but the management needed to take some bold decisions which they didn't take. In contrast Sri Lanka used their batsmen very well and rotated them well," said the former wicketkeeper batsman.
In the first semi-final of the marquee tournament, played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, on Thursday night, Pakistan team failed to chase down a mediocre 140-run target set by Mahela Jayawardene led Sri Lanka.
Skipper Mohammad Hafeez was the leading run getter from Pakistan, with a 40-ball 42, as six of his batmen failed to get past single digit scores. Umar Akmal (29 not out) and Imran Nazir (20) were the other notable performers.
Earlier Pakistan spinners, who played key role in Pakistan’s progress to the knock out stages, struggled against the experienced Sri Lankan batsmen. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene (42) and veteran Tillakaratne Dilshan (35) provided the side with a sound start, with an opening stand of 63 runs, before the middle order took the charge of guiding the side to a respectable total of 139 for 4, with some late hitting.
Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas criticised Hafeez for leaving experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq out of the playing XI in the crunch game. He also suggested that wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal should have opened the innings for Pakistan last night.
"The batsmen didn't play according to the situation and pitch conditions. I thought 140 was gettable in the match but the application was missing and Hafeez got out at a very crucial time he should have finished off the game," added the legendary Pakistan batsman, who is also nicked as Asian Bradman.
Zaheer also urged the Pakistan Cricket Board officials to devise a sound strategy for future tours and tournaments as soon as possible, if they want to avoid repeat of such capitulations in future.
Another former skipper Rashid Latif reckoned 140 was a pretty much gettable total, had Pakistan team played sensibly.
"They could have got to 140 on this pitch but the management needed to take some bold decisions which they didn't take. In contrast Sri Lanka used their batsmen very well and rotated them well," said the former wicketkeeper batsman.