The Pakistan cricket team has secured a 9-wicket victory over New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I of the series. But is it a victory? A full-strength Pakistan led by Babar Azam went against a Kiwi side that was missing 15 of their top players, and all they managed to do was secure a 2-2 draw.
If that first match wasn’t rained off, you could have seen them lose to a New Zealand ‘F’ side at home, and that too just a month before the T20 World Cup 2024 kicks off. However, for Babar, this might be a victory. Returning to lead the side after stepping down in November last year, the loss would have been detrimental to his chances of leading the side.
Playing outdated cricket: Fans unimpressed after draw
Babar Azam may feel that he’s saved himself from the embarrassment of losing to the third-string team, but Pakistani fans aren’t having any. While the Pakistan cricket team posed with the trophy, fans bashed them for managing to just draw the series. Some raised questions over his captaincy, while others felt that they failed to beat New Zealand’s ‘school team’ in their own backyard.