Pakistan has won just two matches out of 5 in ongoing CWC 2023.
Their recent loss came against Afghanistan, who belted them by 8 wickets in Chennai. It was a total failure by the Pakistan team as their batting barely managed to take them to an above-par score of 282. But on a spin-friendly wicket, Pakistani spinners failed to take a single scalp as the Afghanistan top three hammered half-centuries and won the match.
Following this humiliating defeat, questions are been raised about the Pakistan team’s preparation and fingers are being pointed at Babar Azam, who has seemingly been given absolute power in the team.
Talking on a TV show on ARY Digital, Umar Gul revealed that captain Babar Azam scolded two key players, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shadab Khan, for offering advice to the bowlers during a series.
This was during a discussion shedding light on the internal friction that has become evident in the team. Gul expressed his concern about the situation, stating that he witnessed these incidents firsthand while he was part of the team during a recent series.
"I have seen one or two incidents when I was with the Pakistan team for a series where the captain scolded Rizwan and Shadab for speaking to bowlers. Maybe they have been told not to do so because usually, senior players advise the captain," Gul said.
Senior players have traditionally played an important role in mentoring and assisting the captain, particularly when it comes to field strategy. Azam's captaincy must be under scrutiny, especially now that Pakistan is on the verge of elimination with only two wins in five matches.