Karachi: Pakistan cricket fans and lovers were hurt and angry Friday following a stunning T20 World Cup loss to hosts the US, describing it as a historic rock-bottom for their beloved national game. Talking to media, former cricketer Sikander Bakht said “There can be no bigger tremor for Pakistan cricket than this. It is like Pakistan beating the US at basketball.”
Pakistan former batsman Basit Ali blamed the loss on poor squad selection by skipper Babar Azam. He claimed that the skipper has been consistently selecting players who are close to him and that has put paid to Pakistan’s chances.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal said, “I think our cricket has not seen a worst day,”.
A Super Over thriller in Texas witnessed T20 World Cup debutants the US beat the 2022 finalists and 2009 winners in one of the major upsets in the history of the competition.
Cricket is a national passion in Pakistan, it barely registers in the US, leaving most Americans either puzzled or apathetic over their momentous win.
In one of Islamabad’s marketplaces, Mohammad Amjad Abbasi counted off the decades of Pakistan’s cricket experience compared to the fledging US side. He said that team Pakistan has become weak, and he didn’t enjoy watching matches anymore.
Another cricket fan Dilshad Akhtar said, “This time it felt like our side was the new one, and US was a world-class team”.
