Pakistan’s cricket team exited the ICC Champions Trophy without a win, marking a third consecutive early exit. Former captain Sana Mir criticized the team selection, stating that even legends like MS Dhoni would struggle with the chosen players. She emphasized the importance of selecting players suited for the tournament conditions, referencing past successes in Australia and South Africa.
Pakistan’s national cricket team has faced significant challenges, exiting the ICC Champions Trophy without a single victory, marking their third consecutive early exit from an international tournament. They suffered a substantial defeat against New Zealand, lost to rival India in Dubai, and ended their group stage with a match against Bangladesh that was washed out due to rain.
Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir attributed the team’s disappointing performance to poor selection decisions, particularly regarding the squad announced for the tournament. During her analysis on Tapmad, she recounted a text exchange during the India-Pakistan match, expressing her concerns about the team line-up.
She stated, “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.” Mir emphasized that the decision to include part-time spinners, especially one inexperienced in ODI formats, was ill-advised.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s previous successes in Australia and South Africa, she questioned the failure to select players suited to the conditions in the Champions Trophy. Mir remarked, “You were getting wickets in the middle overs during the Australia and South Africa series. How have you not selected players for these conditions?” Her sentiments highlight the need for strategic planning and evaluation of player performance relevant to specific match conditions.
In summary, the former captain of Pakistan, Sana Mir, criticized the team’s poor selection strategies that led to their failure in the Champions Trophy. By comparing the current team’s inadequacies with past successful strategies, she underscores the importance of thoughtful player selection based on match conditions and performances. With the team needing reform, her insights reflect a call for better planning ahead of future tournaments.
Original Source: www.sportingnews.com
