IND vs PAK: Mohammad Amir indirectly called 'outsider' as Mohammad Hafeez blasts Babar Azam over Shaheen Afridi's Super Over snub

Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez criticized Babar Azam's decision to bowl Mohammad Amir in the Super Over against the United States of America (USA) in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Mohammad Hafeez stated that Naseem Shah or Shaheen Shah Afridi would have been better choices than Mohammad Amir.

Mohammad Amir was handed the ball to bowl the Super Over after the match was tied at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday, June 6. However, the left-arm pacer was inconsistent with his line after conceding a boundary off the first ball. The home team posted a challenging 19-run target for the Pakistan team.

Who Was The Best Bowler? - Mohammad Hafeez

On PTV Sports, Mohammad Hafeez highlighted that Mohammad Amir had returned to the national cricket team after a four-year hiatus. Hafeez mentioned that his performances in T20 leagues should not be considered equivalent to international cricket.

"Who was the best bowler? For me, it would be Naseem Shah and then Shaheen Shah Afridi. Amir was away from Pakistan cricket for four years. Don't try to compare international T20 leagues to international cricket. You didn't trust your main player and trusted someone who is making a comeback after four years," Hafeez said.

Amir was the best bowler for Pakistan while defending a target of 160 runs. The veteran pacer conceded just 27 runs in his four overs. He also picked up the crucial wicket of USA skipper Monank Patel, who scored 50 off 38 balls. Naseem Shah conceded 26 runs, while Shaheen Afridi went wicketless with 33 runs.

Lost The 20-Over Game And Then The Super Over - Mohammad Hafeez

Mohammad Hafeez criticized the Pakistan players' body language during both the 20-over match and the subsequent Super Over. The former all-rounder questioned the team's inability to maintain composure in the Super Over and highlighted wides and misfields, which impacted the outcome of the match.

"How did Pakistan lose not one, but two matches in a day. First we lost the 20-over game and then the super over. We understand you were nervous. It was a nervous batting innings, it was nervous bowling and fielding. I understand it in the 20-over game. But you couldn't control your nerves in a Super Over?" Hafeez added.

Mohammad Amir bowled three wides in the Super Over, and Pakistan's sloppy fielding allowed the USA to gain extra runs through singles and a double. Overall, Pakistan conceded seven runs as extras. In response, the Babar Azam-led team only managed to score 13 runs and fell short of the target by 5 runs.

Pakistan's T20 World Cup journey might come to an end if they face defeat against India in their upcoming match. Pakistan will face the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9. The Babar Azam-led team will be under significant pressure for the game against their archrivals.

Also read: IND vs PAK: 'Pakistan never deserved to win..' - Shoaib Akhtar bemoans Babar Azam after a shocking loss to USA