"We Have A Plan": Babar Azam's Clear Take On Pakistan's Cricket World Cup 2023 Semis Scenarios

10.11.2023 - 15:11 sports.ndtv.com

Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam said on Friday that the team is aware of the improbable scenarios that can lead to their qualification for the Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-finals and they have already formulated a plan in accordance to the situations.

Following New Zealand's huge win over Sri Lanka on Thursday, Pakistan will now have to win by more than 287 runs if they bat first and in case of a chase, they need to complete it with 284 balls to spare.

While the situation is heavily against the 1992 champions, Babar maintained that 'anything can happen' in the game of cricket. “Anything can happen in cricket.

We will try to finish the tournament on a high note,” Azam said during a pre-match press conference on Friday. "We have a plan for net run-rate and will try to execute it.

cricket England Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team World Cup 2023 cup on Babar Azam Mohammad Rizwan Iftikhar Ahmed New Zealand India Sri Lanka Pakistan

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lashed out at Babar Azam's capataincy after the national cricket team's poor show at Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan lost five of their nine matches played in the league stage of the tournament and failed to qualify for the semi-finals. Their defeats also included one at the hands of Afghanistan. The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side outplayed Babar Azam and company by eight wickets. Criticising Babar, Afridi said that the player has not improved as captain in the past few years.

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Babar Azam has stepped down as Pakistan cricket team skipper following his team's disappointing run in the Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan lost five out of their nine matches and failed to qualify for the semifinals. Babar himself did not have a great outing in the tournament with 320 runs from 9 matches. The cricketer came under a lot of pressure from both experts and fans regarding his captaincy and his lack of form with the bat did not help matters. Currently, Shadab Khan was the vice-captain of Pakistan's World Cup team with Shaheen Afridi among the probable names to take over as the next skipper.

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Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja slammed the bowlers and the country's cricket board following the team's poor performance in ODI World Cup 2023. The Babar Azam-led side failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament after finishing at the fifth spot in the points table at the end of the league stage. Pakistan lost five of their nine matches that included a disappointing eight-wicket loss at the hands of Afghanistan. Ramiz didn't mince words while slamming the bowlers and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

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Pakistan cricket team had a disappointing run in the Cricket World Cup 2023 and the Babar Azam-led side failed to qualify for the semifinals after losing five out of their nine group stage matches. A massive reason behind the capitulation was the lack of form shown by the Pakistan pacers and the bowling department as a whole. Former Indian cricket team star Mohammed Kaif took to social media and said that the Pakistan side was "too soft" and their pacers were "too nice" in this World Cup.

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Pakistan skipper Babar Azam arrived in Lahore on Monday following the failed World Cup campaign, with the word going around that he will not voluntarily step down and wait for the the Pakistan Cricket Board to take a call. Babar, who was received by his family members at the Lahore International Airport, looked downcast as he came out of the building surrounded by security personnel. The insider word is that Babar will meet PCB chief Zaka Ashraf this week and will take a call on his all-format captaincy after the meeting. Pakistan, the 1992 champions, failed to make it to the semifinals after an unimpressive run where they lost five of the nine league matches. Babar was first made the white-ball captain in late 2019 and, in 2021, he also took over as the Test skipper. He has led Pakistan in two Asia Cups, two T20 World Cups and the ongoing ODI World Cup without winning any title.

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Hitting back at critics for questioning his leadership skills, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on Friday said it's easy to give opinion on TV and asserted that captaincy had no adverse impact on his batting in the Cricket World Cup 2023. Azam has been in the eye of storm after their embarrassing eight-wicket defeat against Afghanistan and for failing to defend 271 against South Africa, who they had reduced to 260/9. Former skippers including Moin Khan and Shoaib Malik have openly criticised Babar's captaincy on air and felt that the burden of leadership has affected his batting.