Pakistan came up short in the final of the T20 World Cup and suffered a heartbreaking loss against England after posting a sub-par total of 137. It was a case of being so close to the ultimate glory yet being so far as Babar Azam and his men faced the defeat in another final after the loss to Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2022 final. Former Australian cricketer Mathew Hayden who has been the mentor of Pakistan since 2021 lauded them for coming so far in the tournament and wants them to acknowledge their flaws too.
In a nearly three-minute-long video posted by the PCB's official Twitter handle, Hayden is seen delivering a long-winded pep talk to bolster the spirits of the Pakistani dressing room.
“It’s amazing that these boys haven’t had the opportunity like the rest of you have but every game, they turned up. Every game, they tried their best in the nets. Bowling, throwing and I think that deserves a round of applause,” Hayden said.
“It’s amazing to think how far we have come in this tournament and I know you got to be hurting. It does hurt but the reality is that we are so close. Guys, I am really proud of you. I think you have done a wonderful job. Thank you for sharing your inner sanctum with me,” he added.
Hayden recalled Pakistan's team visit to his house for a hearty meal before T20 World Cup 2022 when they discussed that they would lift the trophy and how the aim remains the same with next ODI World Cup staged in India. He is positive that the results will come and suggested Pakistan will have their hands on the World Cup trophy.
“Take it back a month ago, you all shared a meal at my house and I said I was confident that we can lift the World Cup. No that hasn’t changed. Nothing has changed. I am confident that this group of young men can lift the World Cup. And I am confident that with some clarity on how to move forward from this tournament, how to celebrate some good performances and also acknowledge some of the weaknesses we have had in the last one month, that come the World Cup in India, again we’ll be celebrating getting somewhere near the World Cup,” he said.
