Babar Azam to be stripped off Pakistan captaincy? PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi vows to do this after India loss

Pakistan lost to India by six runs chasing 120 runs in New York on Sunday. This is Pakistan's second loss in this World Cup campaign and the seventh loss overall against India in T20 World Cups. 

Pakistan were well-placed to chase down the target till Mohammad Rizwan was at the crease. He fell in the 15t over and Jasprit Bumrah helped India make a comeback into the game. From there on till the 19th over Pakistan did not hit boundaries for more than six overs. 

Pakistan's loss to India had more than one reason. Not only did they choke under pressure they consumed more dot-balls than India in the chase. Despite the bowlers setting up the match for the team, the batters failed to chase down a paltry total of 120. On the other hand, the Indian bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the run chase in the second innings. 

Also Read: India rewrite T20 history as they accomplish a massive record on the back of Jasprit Bumrah's heroics

Pakistan's loss to India in this match earned a reaction from PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi. It was he who reinstated Babar Azam to captaincy just before the T20 World Cup. Shaheen Afridi had a very poor run as Pakistan's T20I captain and hence Babar was reappointed for the post. 

“I thought the team required minor surgery to start winning matches but now it appears that we have to go for major surgery. It is very disappointing the way we lost to the USA and now this loss to India. We need to now start looking at players beyond those in the team right now,”  Naqvi was quoted as saying by the Pakistani media in New York.

Sit And Look At Everything: PCB Chief After Loss To India

Mohsin Naqvi who took over as the PCB chief in January defended the PCB saying that the board has given the players all the facilities that they have asked for.

“Why the team is not performing is something everyone is asking. The World Cup is still on. But obviously, we will sit down and take a look at everything.”

Pakistan will need to win both their remaining games by big margins and need favors from India and the USA as well. They will need India to win their remaining two games, and the USA to lose their two remaining games as well.

Two wins for Pakistan against Canada and Ireland will bring them level on points with the USA and then Pakistan will have a better NRR and can be the second team to qualify from Group A with India. For that to happen, Pakistan will need to beat Canada and Ireland by big margins.

Gary Kirsten Clarifies Stance On New York Pitch

Meanwhile, with all the talk regarding the pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan head coach Gary Kirsten defended how the track played. In the post-match press conference, after Pakistan's loss, Kirsten addressed the media and clarified his stance on the pitch.

“I think it wasn’t dangerous, I mean the odd one rose up, but not many. Generally, it kept a little bit lower, it was difficult to score from both batting sides and also a fairly slow outfield so it was never going to be a big total,” said Kirsten.

“I would have said 140 would have been a really good score on that pitch, so India didn’t get that and so I thought we had the game,” he concluded.

Also Read: Haris Rauf rammed into a corner; asked to learn from Jasprit Bumrah as India choke Pakistan