Pakistani cricketers should hold their heads high after stellar performance in T20 World Cup: Sana Mir

• Pakistani players should hold their heads high after their great performances in the T20 World Cup, says Sana Mir.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first against Australia over was incredible, she says. 
• "It can be good to test a few people just to give yourself options when it comes to the knockout stages,” says former cricketer 

ISLAMABAD: Following Pakistan's loss against Australia in the semi-final of the Men's T20 World Cup, former Pakistan women team captain Sana Mir has said that the players should hold their heads high after their great performances in the mega event.

In a writeup on the ICC website, Mir said: “I am incredibly proud of the way this Pakistan team performed and how close they came to reaching the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 final.”

She said, “In the end it came down to a few lapses in the field because they had put the runs on the board and everyone contributed. They just could not quite get over the line against Australia.”

“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first over was incredible. That is becoming an event, everything stops when he has the new ball in his hand. He has been brilliant and builds up the pressure because of his consistency, his application and his skill. The best batters in the world feel under pressure when he has that new ball and it is incredible the way he has used it in this tournament,” she wrote.

The former Pakistan women team captain said, “Pakistan have stuck with the same XI throughout, whereas there might have been an opportunity to try some other plans, or bring in a top player like Mohammad Wasim Jnr at some point.”

She maintained they saw Australia changed things, leaving out Marcus Stoinis at one point then bringing him back and he ended up being the matchwinner.

“It can be good to test a few people just to give yourself options when it comes to the knockout stages,” she wrote.