Pakistan faced another early exit in the ICC Champions Trophy, failing to secure a single victory. Former captain Sana Mir attributed this failure to poor team selection, criticizing the inclusion of part-time spinners and the overall strategy. Mir highlighted the need for proper player selection based on conditions, referencing past successes in other series.
Pakistan’s exit from the ICC Champions Trophy marks their third consecutive first-round elimination in tournaments, concluding the home event without securing any victories. Their campaign opened with a significant loss to New Zealand, followed by a defeat against India in Dubai. The final group stage match was abandoned due to rain against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, sealing their disappointing fate in the tournament.
Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir criticized the team’s selection and strategies during a review of Pakistan’s performance on Tapmad. Recalling her thoughts during the India-Pakistan match, she remarked, “A friend texted me when India was 100/2 saying it is over. I replied by saying that it was over on the day when we announced our 15-man squad. You can give this squad to MS Dhoni or Younis Khan and nobody would do anything with them.”
Sana Mir further questioned the rationale behind including two part-time spinners in the squad. She stated, “You had one match in Dubai. How are you going there with two part-time spinners? Abrar is still new in ODI cricket. These two part-time spinners have taken only two wickets while averaging 165 in the last 5 months.”
She also emphasized the importance of selecting players suited for specific conditions, citing past successes in Australia and South Africa. “You were getting wickets in the middle overs during the Australia and South Africa series. How have you not selected players for these conditions?” she asked, highlighting the failure to adapt the selection strategy to the tournament context.
In summary, former Pakistan captain Sana Mir has expressed strong criticism regarding the national cricket team’s poor performance in the Champions Trophy, attributing their early exit to misguided team selection. Mir underscored the inadequacies in the squad, particularly in the choice of players best suited for the conditions of the matches. The absence of strategic foresight in team assembly has resulted in ongoing disappointments for Pakistan cricket.
Original Source: www.sportingnews.com
