Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed his disappointment with Pakistan's lacklustre performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, noting that the current team lacked the intimidating presence exhibited by past cricket legends such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar.
The trio were known for their aggressive on-field tactics, including sledging opponents.
Kaif pointed out that the team's captain, Babar Azam, along with players Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, appeared too amicable during the prestigious ICC tournament. He wrote on x.com (formerly Twitter), "Somehow feel this Pakistan team was too soft, their pacers too nice. Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib were intimidating. They would stare at you, even sledge. Babar, Shaheen, Rauf - they lacked that aura, they looked too friendly."
The Men in Green finished fifth in the points table, failing to qualify for the semifinals. Kaif shared his thoughts on the matter, stating that the camaraderie displayed by Azam, Afridi, and Rauf might have contributed to the team's underwhelming performance.
During the tournament, Afridi and Rauf managed to secure 18 and 16 wickets, respectively, in nine games. However, their economy rates were a concern in crucial matches, averaging 26.72 and 33.31. Meanwhile, Babar Azam scored 320 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 82.90, including four half-centuries.
Reflecting on their exit from the World Cup, Babar Azam attributed their downfall to the loss against South Africa, emphasizing the underwhelming performance of spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, who picked up two wickets each in six and five matches, respectively.
Expressing his disappointment, Azam acknowledged mistakes in bowling, batting, and fielding, emphasizing the pivotal role of spinners in the middle overs. He lamented that the team struggled when the spinners failed to take wickets.
Pakistan's campaign in the 2023 World Cup started positively with victories against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. However, they faced setbacks against India, Australia, Afghanistan, and South Africa. Despite securing wins against Bangladesh and New Zealand, they concluded the league stage with a defeat against England by 93 runs.
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