World Cup 2023: Who is responsible for Pakistan’s dismal performance?

Following Pakistan's back–to–back defeats in World Cup 2023, cricket experts hold captain Babar Azam responsible for the national team’s dismal performance.

In the latest humiliating defeat on Monday, Afghanistan put on a superb batting and bowling display to hand Pakistan a stunning eight-wicket defeat.

Speaking about the team’s performance on a local sports channel, former captain Wasim Akram said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, selectors, coaches and captain all are responsible for the team’s poor performance in the mega event.

“At the 45-over mark, we had two overs of Shaheen and Haris each and one over of Hasan Ali but we gave the ball to Usama Mir, why? Who will answer these questions?” said Akram.

He also questioned the fitness of players in the Pakistan team.

"It was embarrassing today. To reach 280-odd losing just two wickets is pretty big. Wet pitch or not, look at the fielding, the fitness levels. We've been screaming for the last three weeks that these players haven't undergone a fitness test in the last two years. If I start taking individual names, their faces will drop. Looks like these guys are eating 8 kilos of mutton every day. Should there not be tests," he added,

But the main responsibility of this defeat lies with captain Babar Azam, said former right-handed batter Shoaib Malik.

He said as a batsman Babar’s performance is satisfactory but his performance is not up to the mark as a leader.

Former captain Moin Khan, who was also part of the panel, said Babar has been the captain for over three years “but we have not seen anything that he has learned with time”.

“They don’t bring in close-in fielders whenever they need to take a wicket. You have to adopt such strategies and close-in fielders should have been brought in while we were playing against Afghanistan,” he added.

Sharing his views, former captain Misbah-ul Haq blamed flawed strategy for the team’s poor performance.

“We can see that whenever Haris Rauf is being given powerplay overs he is not confident and in the first over he is giving 18 to 20 runs,” said Misbah.

“If this happens in every match then you should change the strategy.”

Malik interjected saying the spinning department is also struggling and unable to perform. “You have Saud Shakeel why don’t you allow him to bowl.”

Monday's win was Afghanistan's first-ever over Pakistan in eight ODIs and came eight days after their shock victory over defending World Cup champions England in Delhi.

The defeat leaves Pakistan's World Cup campaign in disarray with three defeats in five games and a formidable South Africa to face at the same venue on Friday.

In contrast, Afghanistan's campaign is slightly revived with two wins in five matches and struggling Sri Lanka as their next opponents in Pune on Sunday.