Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq has defended senior duo Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi despite their poor recent form, ahead of Pakistan’s must-win clash against Namibia on Wednesday at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
In a pre-match press conference, Tariq praised the contributions of Pakistan’s senior players and described the team’s mentality, highlighting the importance of experience and highlighting the unpredictability of cricket.
“Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi have won many matches for us. Winning and losing are part of the game. From now on, you will see us playing well,” Tariq said.
He also addressed the team’s approach to setbacks and the learning process after a defeat, highlighting the importance of reflecting and moving forward.
“After the game, the discussion is always about the mistakes we made. If a game doesn’t go well, it’s part of the game,” he said.
The right-arm spinner reflected on the team’s recent struggles and the importance of learning from past mistakes. He highlighted the proactive measures they have taken to address the deficiencies.
“Problems arise when you don’t work on your mistakes. We have worked on our mistakes. If we don’t repeat them, there will be no problem,” he said.
He also talked about how to handle high-pressure situations on the field and explained that maintaining composure is crucial to performance.
“Feeling pressure is normal. Controlling the pressure is part of the job and we have worked on that. But right now there is no pressure. I didn’t feel that the team was under pressure,” he concluded.
In their previous outing, the 2009 champions opted for a spin-heavy attack after winning the toss and electing to play in the field.
However, the strategy backfired as India’s batting, led by a blistering half-century from Ishan Kishan, propelled them to 175/5 in 20 overs.
Pakistani duo Abrar Ahmed and the experienced Shadab Khan struggled. Abrar conceded 38 runs in three overs, while Shadab leaked 17 runs in a single over, with neither claiming a wicket.
Among the pacers, Shaheen Afridi was the only one to make a notable impact, returning figures of 1/31 in two overs. Captain Salman Ali Agha later described it as a “day off”.
The Green Shirts’ batting also faltered under pressure, being bowled out for 114 in 18 overs after a disastrous start to the chase.
Earlier in the tournament, Salman Mirza impressed in Pakistan’s opening match against the Netherlands, taking 3/24 in four overs. In 14 T20Is for Pakistan, he took 22 wickets at an economy rate of 6.36.
Currently, Pakistan is third in the Group A points table with two wins and one loss in three matches, with a net run rate of -0.403.
A win against Namibia would secure them six points, putting them in second place and overtaking the United States, who have two wins and two losses with four points and a net run rate of 0.788, guaranteeing advancement to the Super Eight stage.
