- Azhar Mahmood said that Pakistan team is disheartened after loss to India.
- He said that loss to India more disappointing than the one against USA.
- He cautions against underestimating Canada.
The Pakistani team, known as the Men in Green, couldn’t reach a target of 120 runs, managing only 113/7 against India. This marked their second loss in the tournament.
In a press conference on Monday, Mahmood acknowledged the team’s disappointment, particularly with the loss to India. However, he emphasized the need to uplift the team’s spirits, reminding them that they still have the opportunity to recover.
“After two defeats, everyone is quite disheartened. Losing against India is more disappointing than a defeat against the USA,” he expressed.
“At the moment, everyone’s morale in the team is down, it’s necessary to lift it as we can still bounce back and we won’t lose hope until it’s over,” he further commented.
Mahmood attributed the loss to poor shot selection, noting a significant drop in the team’s run rate after the 15th over. He emphasized that the defeat was a collective one, with both the players and the management sharing the responsibility.
“Our shot selection wasn’t right, which led to a run rate of 10. We were playing well until the 15th over. We lost as a team and can’t blame individuals,” he maintained.
“The responsibility of failure lies with the entire management, we all have made mistakes,” he added.
Mahmood underscored the importance of self-confidence, stating that doubting oneself can be harmful.
"If a player starts doubting their ability, it becomes very difficult. If we play with confidence in ourselves, it will prove everyone wrong,” he asserted.
He also cautioned against underestimating Canada, stating that anyone who does so has no place in international cricket.
“Now there’s no room for misunderstandings. If someone considers any opponent easy, they don’t have a place in international cricket,” he declared.
“There are players in Canada who can perform against us. We have to win this match at all costs now,” he concluded.
In order to qualify for the Super 8, Pakistan must win their upcoming matches against Canada on June 11 and Ireland on June 16, and hope for a USA loss to India and Ireland.
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