Pakistan lost to USA in the Super Over after both teams ended their innings at the identical score of 109.
The nail-biting encounter saw both teams ending their innings at the identical score of 109, necessitating the one-over eliminator, where the Men in Green conceded 18 runs as veteran campaigner Mohammad Amir bowled quite a few wide deliveries.
With the bat, Pakistan tried their best but USA’s left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar held his nerves to restrict the 2009 champions to just 13 runs.
The shocking result created quite a stir in the Pakistan cricket fraternity. Former skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was also left furious by the Pakistan team’s "timid" approach in the match.
In particular, Misbah was critical of Babar Azam's "clueless" captaincy, claiming that the USA were more strategically sound in the Super Over.
"It was timid. The USA were dominating. We were waiting, thinking that help would come from above. No plan. Babar Azam said they were not able to execute their plans. There was no plan. When it came to handling the fast bowlers, we didn't know who would bowl after the first over. Both Naseem and Amir were walking to take the run-up. So we did not have a plan for even 2 overs. They looked clueless," Misbah said while speaking on Ten Sports.
"Look at their game awareness and look at ours. In the Super Over, they were pinching extra runs via byes. In terms of fitness, in terms of speed, in terms of smartness, they defeated us," he added.
Misbah also lashed out at the PCB for musical chair around captaincy and addressing the real problems after the team's dismal showing in the ODI World Cup last year.
Notably, Shaheen Afridi was appointed the T20I captain after Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 debacle but he was replaced by Babar Azam after just one series.
"In the last 6 months, look at whatever has happened behind the scenes. After the ODI World Cup, there was a musical chair for the board chairman role, and then for captaincy. The problems that came out of the ODI World Cup, we were not able to settle them down. They have one in with the same batting order, the same spin bowling unit, same balance of the team, captaincy, and planning. The chronic problems resurfaced," Misbah said.
"From the time they picked the squad, I have been saying 'Brother, there is no balance in the team'. I said they don't have a good fast-bowling all-rounder. And even the spinners, they haven't picked them based on conditions," he further remarked.
Pakistan’s next match in the ongoing T20 World Cup in scheduled against arch-rivals India in New York on June 9.