Mickey Arthur, the head coach of Pakistan, claims that after his team’s fourth defeat at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, criticism will inevitably surface. But the coach has warned Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) against starting a witch hunt against Babar Azam and the team management,
With only a very tiny possibility of making it to the tournament’s knockout stages, Pakistan’s last-wicket loss to South Africa follows increasing pressure on skipper Babar Azam and senior selector Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Arthur acknowledges that blame will be placed somewhere, including within Pakistan cricket, but argues that this kind of response would be unjust.
“It’s really unfair to start a witch hunt, certainly on Babar Azam, on Inzi, on our coaches, on the management team,” Arthur said at the post-match presser.
“What I do know is the boys have tried and the effort of the coaching staff, the effort of the players has been first-class. If they would see that the amount of effort that the players and staff put in, they would be amazed.”
Babar Azam under pressure
Pakistan’s humiliating loss to Afghanistan had significantly hurt their chances of making it to the Indian semifinals.
Arthur claimed that the performance versus South Africa was entirely different, despite the fact that the outcome remained the same.
All five of Pakistan’s top players received starts, however Babar Azam went back to the pavilion after just 27.5 overs, leaving Pakistan with all five players out and the lower middle order put in charge.
Pakistan’s top order, which entered the competition as one of the team’s strengths, has a habit of misfiring.
From the lower-middle order, Saud Shakeel (52), Shadab Khan (43) and Mohammad Nawaz (24), quickly scored runs, but wickets dropped toward the end, and Pakistan was bowled out with 3.2 overs remaining.
On Tuesday, Babar Azam & Co will play their second game against Bangladesh in an attempt to correct the record both with the bat and the ball.
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