Pakistan v Canada: Mohammad Rizwan guides side to seven-wicket T20 World Cup win

Finally, some respite for Pakistan. After two of the sorriest days in the country’s cricket history, they are on the board at the T20 World Cup.

Their seven-wicket win over Canada in New York was not pretty. Few matches at the pop-up ground in Long Island have been. But they will take an ugly win given everything that has been going on.

They took two points from a game at the third time of asking. Now they will be in the odd situation of having to watch on Wednesday and hope their great rivals India can do them a favour when they play USA at the same ground.

In the two days between this match and their implosion against India last time out, Pakistan’s players had been widely lampooned. Their performances in the first two games were described as pathetic.

The team was said to be riven by cliques, with some players described as “cancers” in the dressing room. Shaheen Afridi was criticised for celebrating his own batting subsequent to the loss against USA on opening night.

Former players called for a drastic overhaul, demanded seven or eight new players. Pictures of an Azam Khan doppelganger tucking into some fast food went viral online. It was savage stuff.

If the players felt wrung out by it all, then they showed it at the start. On commentary ahead of the first ball, Wasim Akram said the one crime a bowler could possibly commit on an uneven wicket like the one at Nassau County was to over-pitch. Anywhere else, and the iffy facilities would help the bowlers.

Pakistan’s #T20WorldCup 2024 campaign remains alive and kicking!

Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Rizwan inspire a win vs Canada in New York