Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy title defence as hosts came to a disappointing end on Thursday as their final group stage fixture against Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rains in Rawalpindi.
A day after all-rounder Imad Wasim cut short his brief return to international cricket, pacer Mohammed Amir joined his former teammate to walk into the sunset after his final appearance for Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup in June.
Hours after that debacle, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to reconstruct the selection committee.
“This debacle, a sort of a confidence crisis, started during the Asia Cup when India bashed our pacers on seaming conditions and then the secret was out to the world that the only way to counter this line-up was to attack,” Raja said.
The narrow margins have cost Gary Kirsten’s team, which could very easily be two from two and more-than-likely confirmed starters in the second round. Instead the team now finds itself in a desperate situation to avoid a first round exit, with themselves to blame.
While Azam is not new to being trolled on social media, he, actually, prefers to use the abuse to fire his motivation.
The seasoned top-order batter spoke highly of the welcome accorded to the Pakistan cricket team during their stay in Hyderabad for their initial few games of the World Cup.
Imam-ul-Haq struck a run-a-ball 72 while Babar Azam scored a 93-ball 77 as Pakistan posted a par score of 275/8 in 50 overs electing to bat first at the Multan Cricket Stadium here on Friday.
Azam was brilliant, and Imam-ul-Haq kept him company as they scored 103 runs for the second wicket. He then added 108 runs for the third wicket with Rizwan before Khushdil Shah (41 not out off 23 balls) sealed victory with a late cameo as Pakistan eluded Shai Hope and the West Indies.
This will be after a gap of more than 14 years that international cricket is returning to the venue with Bangladesh having played here in April 2008.
