Iceland Cricket, famous for their playful social media jabs at cricket teams, took another shot at Babar Azam-led Pakistan after their loss to Ireland in a T20I match. While Iceland enjoys some friendly trolling across the cricketing world, Pakistan has been a frequent target in recent years. Recently, Pakistan lost their T20I series opener against Ireland for the first time ever. However, they went on to win the rest of the two matches to seal the series 2-1.
Iceland Cricket kept the banter going. In a recent viral social media post, they playfully claimed confidence in defeating several T20 teams, including Pakistan, alongside some true cricketing newcomers like Mongolia and Turkey. This lighthearted jab likely references Pakistan's past social media exchanges with Iceland Cricket.
Iceland Cricket claim claimed confidence in defeating Pakistan
“Teams we have beaten: Switzerland; Teams we have lost to: Hungary, Czechia, Malta, Estonia; T20 teams we still feel we could beat: Mongolia, Turkey, St. Helena, Isle of Mann, Falkland Islands, Pakistan,” Iceland Cricket's post read on X.
Pakistan isn't letting the fun get in the way of work. Their focus is now on the upcoming four-match T20I series against England, starting on May 22 at Headingley.
Pakistan's squad for T20I series against England
Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Iftikhar Ahmad, Usman Khan (WK), Azam Khan (WK), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, and Salman Ali Agha.
The Pakistan cricket team's busy schedule continues after their final T20I against England on May 30. They'll set their sights on the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the USA. However, before they depart for the global tournament, there's one crucial step: finalizing the squad.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has a tight deadline to announce their T20 World Cup team. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set May 25 as the cut-off date, so expect the official announcement to come shortly after the first T20I against England.
There's added intrigue surrounding the squad selection, as Pakistan finds itself in Group A alongside arch-rivals India. They'll also face Ireland, Canada, and the USA during the group stage. The Babar Azam-led team will waste no time getting started once the World Cup kicks off. Their journey begins on June 6th against the USA in Dallas. But all eyes will be on June 9, when the highly anticipated clash against India will take place in New York.
Here's Pakistan's schedule for T20 World Cup 2024
| Match-up | Date | Venue |
| Pakistan vs USA | June 6 | Dallas |
| Pakistan vs India | June 9 | New York |
| Pakistan vs Canada | June 11 | New York |
| Pakistan vs Ireland | June 16 | Lauderhill |
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
