Pakistan faced a humiliating defeat against England at Kolkata stadium on Saturday, marking the end of their journey in the World Cup.
The Green Shirts were on a mission to secure a spot in the semi-finals at the expense of New Zealand, requiring a victory by a colossal margin of 287 runs in Kolkata to alter their net run rate.
However, England thwarted any hopes of a miraculous turnaround by opting to bat first, effectively closing the door on Pakistan’s aspirations. The Green Shirts found themselves in an insurmountable position when tasked with chasing over 300 runs by the 40th ball of their reply to England’s formidable 337-9.
As the dust settles on Pakistan’s World Cup journey, New Zealand emerges as the fourth team in the semi-finals, having secured 10 points through a combination of five wins and four losses in the 10-team table.
The Kiwis, runners-up in the last two World Cups, will face the undefeated hosts India in the first semi-final in Mumbai on Wednesday, while Australia and South Africa are set to clash in Kolkata 24 hours later.
Despite a recent victory over New Zealand, where they defeated the Kiwis in a rain-affected match, Pakistan’s dreams were shattered as it became impossible for them to surpass their rivals’ run rate. India’s earlier triumph over New Zealand, with Virat Kohli’s impressive 95 guiding them to victory, added to Pakistan’s woes.
Addressing the post-match press conference, Pakistan’s Cricket Team Director Mickey Arthur said “the teams that do that consistently are the teams in the semi-finals. We do that when Fakhar Zaman comes off, but we can’t be relying on one player.”
He admitted the challenged faced by the Pakistan team, but stressed the need for elevating the game.
He mentioned the absence of Naseem Shah, stating that if they can have him back, their bowling attack would be strong. However, he emphasized the need for improvement in batting, aiming to become a team capable of scoring 330-350 runs.
Expressing support for Babar, Arthur described the team as a closely-knit group.
He expressed his backing for Babar, highlighting their strong bond.
Arthur acknowledged Babar’s growth as a young and talented batsman, emphasizing the learning curve that comes with captaincy.
He stressed the importance of allowing Babar the time to develop, noting that mistakes were part of the process, as long as the team learns from them.
Arthur concluded by expressing optimism about the team’s potential, believing that they had the foundation for a highly competitive side if they absorbed and applied the lessons from their mistakes.
