After Pakistan’s fourth consecutive loss in the ICC World Cup 2023, former Pakistani captain Wasim Akram, known as the ‘Sultan of Swing,’ pointed out a significant mistake made by current captain Babar Azam during the match against South Africa.
Akram argued that giving the 48th over to Mohammad Nawaz when South Africa needed just six runs off 18 balls with one wicket remaining was a mistake. He believed that Usama, another bowler, who had two overs left, should have been given the chance as he was bowling better and could have troubled the tailenders with his mystery googly or leg spin.
Akram acknowledged that Usama’s first few overs were not up to the mark, but he had made a comeback, taking two wickets for 45 runs.
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Akram also praised the captaincy, stating that Babar Azam used his key bowlers to take wickets. However, he couldn’t understand why Nawaz was given the ball, as he appeared lacking in confidence and had an awkward high-arm action.
He also lauded young bowler Wasim Jr., who made his World Cup debut, for showing courage and consistently challenging the South African batters.
In the match, Pakistan lost to South Africa by one wicket in a thrilling contest, marking their fourth consecutive loss in the World Cup. Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals have become uncertain, as they not only need to win their upcoming matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England but also require favorable outcomes from other teams, which currently seems unlikely.
