Our member @mominsaigol provides insightful review of Pakistan's disastrous ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign where he analyzes the performances of players and looks ahead at the way forward for the PCB to recover from the current downward spiral.

Introduction

Pakistan's recent cricket campaign has been marked by a series of underwhelming performances, culminating in an early exit from the tournament. Traditionally, these reviews are conducted post-tournament, but given Pakistan's premature elimination, it's apt to analyze the players' performances now. This article focuses on the main games against India, the USA, Ireland, and Canada, evaluating each player's contributions and assigning a performance rating out of 10.

Player Performance Review

Babar Azam (C) - 2 out of 10

Babar Azam has to be analyzed in two ways: as a captain and as a player.

As a captain, Babar Azam was extremely poor during the USA game, consistently repeating the same tried and tested mistakes such as having Iftikhar Ahmed (Chacha) in slip despite his known poor slip fielding. His field placement in the final over, bringing long-off into the inner ring, was inexplicable when USA needed 5 off 1 ball. Additionally, opting to bowl Mohammad Amir in the super over, despite Naseem Shah's superior performance, was a questionable decision.

During the India and Canada games, Babar improved slightly in field selections, but elementary mistakes persisted, such as Iftikhar being in slip. The exclusion of Abrar Ahmed, despite his proven capabilities, was another significant oversight.

As a batsman, Babar was equally poor. His slow scoring on favorable pitches against the USA, combined with a lackluster performance against India, and a run-a-ball 33 against Canada, were significant letdowns. His innings against Ireland, scoring only 32 off 34 deliveries, further highlighted his struggles. Such performances from a top-order batsman are simply unacceptable.

Mohammad Rizwan (WK) - 3 out of 10

Rizwan had a slightly better outing than Babar, with a half-century against Canada leading to Pakistan's only win. However, his overall performances were poor. His dismissal against Bumrah in the India game was costly, and his slow scoring was inexcusable even on a difficult pitch. Rizwan made 17 off 16 against Ireland, getting out by attempting a leg-side shot that he tried to hit for six – a disappointing performance.

Surprisingly, Rizwan's keeping was subpar throughout the tournament. He missed multiple run-outs, overthrew the ball, and wasted numerous DRS reviews. These mistakes contributed significantly to Pakistan's losses.

Usman Khan - 1 out of 10

Usman Khan was a major disappointment. Despite high expectations, he failed consistently as a batsman and did not impress in the field. His decision to skip playing for the UAE in favor of Pakistan seems regrettable given his lackluster display.

Fakhar Zaman - 1 out of 10

Fakhar Zaman struggled throughout the tournament, managing only a few flashy sixes but failing to provide substantial contributions. His poor performance raises questions about whether he should be given his opening slot back or dropped from the T20 setup altogether.

Saim Ayub - 1 out of 10

While it is unfair to judge Saim based on limited opportunities, his performances were not up to par. His past record shows a pattern of underachievement, suggesting that he may not be suited for the international stage. His batting woes were evident against Canada and Ireland, where he failed to improve on elementary mistakes such as getting out to the same types of deliveries. Against Ireland, he was dismissed by skying the ball, and against Canada, he got caught on the leg side – mistakes that have plagued his game repeatedly.

Iftikhar Ahmed - 1 out of 10

Iftikhar Ahmed, often referred to as "Chacha," had a disappointing tournament. His performances with the bat and in the field were substandard. His failure to finish games and poor fielding were significant drawbacks.

Azam Khan - 0 out of 10

Azam Khan failed to score a single run during his campaign. His performances before the World Cup were not stellar, and he was poor both as a keeper and a batter. His selection raises questions about nepotism.

Shadab Khan - 2 out of 10

Shadab Khan played a crucial innings against the USA but was expensive with the ball. He failed to make significant contributions in other games and did not bowl effectively. His role in the team is questionable given his inconsistent performances.

Imad Wasim - 3 out of 10

Imad's bowling economy was commendable, but his lack of wickets and poor batting overshadowed these efforts. His fitness and running between the wickets were also concerning. His three wickets against Ireland helped redeem his performance slightly.

Shaheen Shah Afridi - 2 out of 10

Shaheen was expensive and largely ineffective, failing to deliver in crucial moments. His dropped catch against the USA was particularly costly. His three wickets against Ireland did little to improve his overall rating.

Naseem Shah - 6 out of 10

Naseem was one of the few bright spots, bowling well against India and showing commendable effort with the bat. His overall performance was decent, though not spectacular.

Haris Rauf - 5 out of 10

Rauf was the highest wicket-taker for Pakistan, with his best performance coming against India. However, his poor final over against the USA and inconsistent bowling marred an otherwise strong showing.

Mohammad Amir - 4 out of 10
Amir's bowling was on par with Naseem's in terms of economy and wickets, but his poor performance in the super over against the USA was a major letdown. His wides and poor deliveries in crucial moments cost the team dearly.

Abbas Afridi - 1 out of 10

Abbas Afridi only played one game, a dead rubber against Ireland, but went for an economy of 10 in the 3 overs he bowled, failing to take a single wicket. His inclusion in the squad is questionable given these standards.

Overall Ratings

Babar Azam: 2 out of 10
Mohammad Rizwan: 3 out of 10
Fakhar Zaman: 1 out of 10
Usman Khan: 1 out of 10
Saim Ayub: 1 out of 10
Azam Khan: 0 out of 10
Shadab Khan: 2 out of 10
Haris Rauf: 5 out of 10
Mohammad Amir: 4 out of 10
Shaheen Shah Afridi: 2 out of 10
Naseem Shah: 6 out of 10
Imad Wasim: 3 out of 10
Iftikhar Ahmed: 1 out of 10
Abbas Afridi: 1 out of 10

Overall Team Performance: 2.21 out of 10 (Extremely poor, and deserved a group stage exit)

Conclusion and perhaps, the way forward

Pakistan's early elimination from the tournament highlights significant deficiencies in both player performances and strategic leadership. The critical analysis of key players reveals a combination of poor form, questionable captaincy decisions, and a lack of adaptability to different match situations. Moving forward, it is imperative for the team to address these issues, particularly in terms of leadership roles, player selection, and tactical flexibility. The questions surrounding the future of certain players and the overall team strategy need to be answered to ensure a stronger and more cohesive performance in future tournaments.

Lastly, the PCB must also address why PSL superstars such as Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Saim Ayub are unable to replicate their PSL form at the international level. If PSL performances aren't the right way forward, the PCB must then seek new methods to define their standards for selection. Otherwise, the hopes of Pakistani fans for a return to the glory days of 1992, 2009, and 2017 will sadly remain unfulfilled.