Pakistan women's cricket team is going through a torrid time in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup.
The Pakistan women's cricket team is going through a torrid time on the field in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup in England. The Fatima Sana-led side suffered its fourth straight defeat in the World Cup against Australia on Tuesday (June 23) night in Leeds.
Since landing in Ireland ahead of the global showpiece, the team has yet to win a single match. Amid the debacle, reports have emerged about tense environment in the squad.
Reports claim that there was a big disagreement between captain Fatima and team mentor/unofficial head coach Wahab Riaz over selection matters.
Before the match against Bangladesh, Fatima strongly objected to senior player Aaliya Riaz's husband staying in her room at the official team hotel.
"It was on Sana's insistence that Ali Younis was asked to vacate the room. Then, on the day before the game against Bangladesh, Aaliya and her husband went out for sightseeing when there was a team practice scheduled," one report said.
Apparently, Fatima demanded Aaliya be dropped for the Bangladesh fixture due to these protocol breaches, but Wahab overrode her authority and insisted on selection.
Following the loss to Bangladesh—where Aaliya failed to perform— Fatima held Wahab accountable for the defeat in front of the squad as he had failed to maintain disciplinary protocols.
As per reports, the coaching staff has expressed immense frustration over the players' absolute failure to execute match plans on the field. Compounding this, distinct player groupings and rifts between senior personnel have severely damaged squad unity.
Over the last 3-4 years, the PCB has constantly changed the head coaches of the women's team, with the revolving door including foreign coaches like Mark Coles, alongside various local coaches. Names like Muhammad Wasim, Basit Ali, Junaid Khan, Saleem Jaffar, and Mohtashim Rasheed have consistently cycled through selection committees, managerial, or interim roles in the coaching staff.
(With PTI Inputs)