Despondency has gripped Pakistan’s cricket circles after India clinically dismantled the team at the T20 World Cup match in Colombo on Sunday, with many social media mocking the team by saying that perhaps the government should have adhered to the boycott call in support of Bangladesh.
The ire is being particularly directed – by everyone from social media quips to yesteryear stars – at under-performing batting star Babar Azam.
Former captain Babar, senior spinner Shadab Khan and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi failed to come good in the lop-sided contest on Sunday night. Pakistan’s bowling was taken apart by young opener Ishan Kishan (77 off 40) and their batters were foxed by the combined might of India's top pacers and spinners.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said it was time to groom younger players.
"If It was in my hands, I would not pick Babar, Shadab and Shaheen again in the T20 team. They have had plenty of chances to come through for Pakistan but failed again," he said.
Shaheen was hammered for 31 runs in two overs. Babar was cleaned up by Axar Patel for five while attempting a slog even though his team was three down for 13 runs in the steep chase of 176.
"Bhai bade matches main hi players ko character dikhana padta hai, woh hamare players nahi dekha paye [Listen, in big matches players have to show character. Unfortunately our players didn't show that character],” said yesteryear Pakistani batting star Javed Miandad.
He said he was surprised to see Pakistan go with just one pace bowler in Shaheen Shah Afridi.
"Why didn't they bowl [pacer] Faheem Ashraf? Playing six spinners; what kind of strategy is this?" Miandad wondered.
Mohammad Yousaf, another former captain who has always backed Babar, echoed the others.
"Time's up for Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab, Pakistan's T20 squad needs new performers, not empty wins against weaker sides," Yousaf posted on X.
Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar mocked Babar's superstar status. "You have made a superstar out of a player (Babar Azam) who cannot win you a game," he said.
"For the last 15-20 years, there has been no investment. The sad reality of the situation is that while we fought with India on the ground at one point, today we can't even dream of beating them," he added.
Ahmed Shehzad, a vocal critic of Babar for a while now, wrote on X: "Babar gone once again. Maybe it was his last dance to prove his worth in this format.”
Former captain Moin Khan said perhaps it was time to accept that India were a far more superior side to Pakistan in any format right now.
"We got our hopes up again this time but as a professional cricketer there was always that lingering feeling that the Indian players will come through when it mattered the most," Moin said.
Former captain Rashid Latif said Pakistan's optimism ahead of the match was bolstered by its back-to-back wins in the previous two league games against lower-ranked teams -- the USA and the Netherlands.
"Look this time there were genuine reasons for the pre-match optimism. The team appeared to be adapting to modern day T20 cricket requirements and looked comfortable under the stewardship of [coach] Mike Hesson and [captain] Salman Ali Agha. But as usual we forgot how good this Indian team really is," Latif said.
"They are a big match team and every player is suited to his role. Unfortunately watching yesterday's match it was obvious we got all our planning wrong.”
