Following Pakistan’s humiliation against Afghanistan that left the team’s World Cup dreams in tatters, senior journalist Abdul Majid Bhatti revealed that skipper Babar Azam was on the verge of crying and in emotions spitted out facts before the media.
Bhatti, who is currently in India to cover the mega event, spoke about the fitness issues highlighted by Babar, in his post-match press conference, during Geo News show Geo Pakistan.
On Monday, Afghanistan sailed through Pakistan’s 283-run target courtesy of impressive innings from Ibrahim Zadran (87), Rahmat Shah (77 not out), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65), and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (48 not out) to secure their second win in the ongoing tournament.
“In my opinion Babar Azam’s press conference after the defeat against Afghanistan was a very emotional scene that I witnessed with my eyes which you may have not seen from there (in Pakistan). So, in my opinion he was about to cry and in emotions he spoke a lot of facts that normally cricketers do not state,” said Bhatti
The journalist laid the blame on Babar for the current mess that the Pakistan team had ended up in and shared that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had shut the doors on a fitness regimen when Misbah-ul-Haq left head coach’s position two years ago.
He also lamented the importance being given to Biryani, chops and karahi, ever since the team landed in Hyderabad, and lack of focus on diet.
He highlighted that the players are professionals themselves and should focus on it rather than prioritising other issues.
“Before World Cup you (Babar Azam) were arguing with PCB for three months to increase your salary under the central contract. And close to Rs 5.7-5.8 million is being taken by three players — Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Sha Afridi — given the A category central contract. Its okay money is coming in cricket and you must get paid. But when you under-perform and complain about fitness after being captain for 3.5 years, then I think Babar Azam himself is responsible for this,” said Bhatti.
Meanwhile, journalist Sohail Imran dismissed reports regarding fights within the squad. However, he was astonished that the PCB issued a press release over a social media post
“When players and PCB will come out of social media pressure then there will be a vast difference in team’s performance,” said Imran.
‘Don’t know what players are thinking’, Babar Azam
In his post-match conference, Babar reprimanded the team’s poor fielding performance leading to a humiliating World Cup 2023 loss against Afghanistan at Chennai’s Chidambaram Stadium.
Babar blamed below-par performances in bowling and fielding departments for their consecutive third loss in the ongoing mega event.
“Players are absent-minded during fielding […] don’t know what they are thinking,” the skipper said while admitting that the team is “saddened” after today’s loss.
“We didn’t perform well in bowling and fielding [departments]”, he said and also acknowledged that the “spinners didn’t bowl well in the middle overs and didn’t put [enough] pressure [on Afghan batters].”
The 29-year-old also turned down any “added captaincy pressure” and said that he keeps both aspects of his responsibilities separate from each other.
“There is no truth in [team] being under pressure after India loss.”
“Our [game] plans are not seeing success […] Whatever we plan, is not being implemented to the fullest,” the skipper added.
Babar also congratulated Afghanistan on their historic win while reiterating his commitment to win the remaining matches of the World Cup.