PAK Vs SA: Shoaib Malik Lashes Out At Pakistan's Poor Performance In ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

Former Pakistan cricketer and captain Shoaib Malik didn’t mince words when he voiced his concerns and frustrations after the Pakistan cricket team suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Malik’s candid remarks came during a talk show where he offered a scathing assessment of Pakistan’s performance, focusing on their shortcomings and the need for honest introspection.

Shoaib Malik began by emphasizing the stark contrast between Pakistan and other top cricketing teams when it comes to setting and achieving batting targets. He stated, “You think that where there are big teams, which are top teams, where runs should be scored at 350, what do they do? They take it to 370, where runs should be scored at 300, they take it to 340, talking about batting.” Malik’s assertion pointed to a recurring issue in Pakistan’s batting, where the team often falls short of setting and achieving competitive run totals.

He went on to stress the importance of intent and determination in the team’s approach, suggesting that the Pakistan team often lacks the aggressive mindset required to compete with the top sides. “The intention is not there,” Malik lamented, highlighting a significant gap in the team’s attitude and approach to their innings.

Watch: Shoaib Malik Criticising Pakistan Cricket Team

Former Pakistan captain @realshoaibmalik calls for an “honest discussion” between players and management after an upset defeat against Afghanistan.#ASportsHD #ARYZAP #ThePavilion #CWC23 #MoinKhan #FakhreAlam #MisbahUlHaq #PAKvAFG #WasimAkram pic.twitter.com/YzfG41IF4d

— ASports (@asportstvpk) October 23, 2023

Shoaib Malik also delved into the team’s bowling performance, acknowledging that Pakistan’s bowling attack had won pivotal matches in the past. However, he expressed disappointment in the inability to restrict opposing teams to lower scores. “Where our bowling attack has, no doubt won big matches, where our bowling attack is giving 325 runs, they should be restricting to 275, 290 like this,” Malik noted, pointing out the missed opportunities in limiting the opposition’s total.

One of Shoaib Malik’s key criticisms revolved around the captain’s approach in high-scoring matches. He suggested that when Pakistan fails to achieve the expected runs on a pitch, Babar Azam often struggles to strategize effectively. Malik explained, “When you don’t score the kind of runs that are supposed to be scored on the pitch, then you don’t think out of the box as a captain because you are always catching up with the game.” This situation, according to Malik, leads to conservative captaincy, with a reluctance to introduce alternative bowlers into the attack.

Malik concluded by highlighting the lack of a proactive mindset in the team, urging Pakistan to embrace a more dynamic style of play. He said, “These things are that we are not even trying to play the brand of cricket that should be played by the top teams, and because of this, our situation is like this.” His candid critique serves as a call to action for the Pakistan cricket team, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive reevaluation and a shift towards a more competitive and enterprising approach in the World Cup and beyond.