Image Credit- AP
Pakistan captain Babar Azam said that his team’s regular-time total of 159 for 7 was a respectable total considering the circumstances and their bowling attack, following their defeat by the USA in the Super Over in their opening match of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pakistan, who had lost the toss and been sent in, lost three wickets in the first three overs and ended the powerplay at 30 for 3. With a partnership of 72 off 48 for the fourth wicket, Babar and Shadab Khan assisted them in rallying, but the USA levelled the score and won in the Super Over.
“Today’s wicket had help for the fast bowlers in the first six overs,” Babar said at the post-match presentation. “But later on, I didn’t feel it was a different wicket. It settled down a bit. Because of the early start – the matches are starting at 10.30am – the fast bowlers will obviously get a little help. There was some juice in the pitch early morning. So they utilised that and executed their plan.
“Even in the second innings, I think we also got help, but we were not up to the mark in terms of our bowling areas. We lacked in that in the first ten overs. We came back after that but they had already taken the momentum. But given the bowlers we have, we should have defended that total. On this pitch, I think it was a defendable total for our bowling.
“We are better than that in the bowling. We did not take wickets in the first six overs. In the middle overs, if your spinner is not taking wickets, then the pressure is on you. After ten overs, we did come back but I think the way they finished game in the Super Over, the credit goes to the US team.”
In the Super Over, Mohammad Amir gave away 18 points for Pakistan. Three wide deliveries totaled, along with seven extras, as Harmeet Singh and Aaron Jones, two American hitters, continued to chase wide balls. In response, Pakistan was only able to muster 13.
“He [Amir] is an experienced bowler,” Babar said. “He knows how to bowl and we were just trying to bowl according to field. But I think the US batsmen were smart. Even when the ball went to the keeper, they were running. So I think that thing was a plus point for them in the Super Over.”