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LAHORE, Jun 07 (APP): Captain Babar Azam has said that the USA team outsmarted experienced Pakistan contingent in all departments and won the match in the super over at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas.
In the post-match press conference, the Pakistan captain said that Mohammad Amir is an experienced bowler who knew how to bowl in a super over situation but the USA batsmen were smart in pinching seven runs off the wide balls, adding that the fact put the US team ahead in the super over.
Though Pakistan, the 3rd ranked ICC T20I team before the match, failed in all departments but the frustration was visible which permeated during the super over among the bowlers and the fielders especially wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan. Mohammad Amir bowled too many wide deliveries while the USA batters pinched singles from the wicket-keeper. The ground fielding was equally poor.
Pakistan had set a target of 160 for the USA team and looked to have won match before Haris Rauf conceded 14 runs in the last over of the match to push the match into a super over.
The USA batsmen, taking advantage of the seemingly frustrated team Pakistan, post 18 runs in the super over which Pakistan batsmen could not overhaul and lost miserably.
To a question, Babar Azam admitted that the team failed to execute plans and failed in all departments be it middle order batting, bowling or fielding. ‘As a batting unit, the batsmen need to step up and do well in the middle overs and the death overs,’ the T20I top run scorer responded.
Babar, to a query, said that the bowling was below par as the bowlers did not take wickets with the new ball while the spinners failed to make any impact in the middle overs, adding that though the bowlers made some recovery after the first 10 overs but the credit must go to the USA batsmen for finishing the game in style.
On losing to associate team in the ICC events, Babar said “it does not matter you are playing an associate or a full member team, any team may beat you on the day if the plans are not executed by the team.” Babar confessed the plans were not being executed by the team as a whole.
On lack of preparations due to weather, Babar said that the weather did not hinder their preparations, adding that they had prepared well for the fixture. “Weather also did not impact the result of the match,” Babar added.
On the pitch conditions, Babar Azam said the first six overs were tough for batting as the bowl stuck in the pitch and swung, adding that they further lost the momentum by losing three wickets in the power-play. He said It was difficult to score runs in the first half of the innings due to the pitch conditions, adding that he and Shadab Khan made a recovery through a good partnership but the back to back wickets turned the momentum in the team USA’s favor once again. Babar was candid in admitting that they played bad cricket on the day.
About toss being a deciding factor in day matches at the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA, the skipper, who looked somewhat subdued by the defeat, said the pitches will always have ‘juice’ in first six over of the day matches, adding that the USA bowlers exploited the conditions to their advantage in the early part of the Pakistan innings. However, he was of the opinion that the pitch settled down in latter part of the innings.
“Pakistan bowlers did not bowl in the right areas in the second innings although help was there in the pitch for them as well,” Babar remarked.
About plans in the last two overs of the USA innings, he said the bowlers were required to bowl Yorkers to the opposition batsmen.
Babar Azam rued the fact that the Pakistan pace battery of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf failed to defend the total given their reputation and experience.