Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez has said that right from the start of the T20 World Cup, the way the team was ‘incomprehensible’ to any expert, adding that whatever policy the Pakistan team management created has been laid bare.
Skipper Salman Agha, coach Mike Hesson and senior batter Babar Azam faced sharp criticism over tactical errors, dubious selections and leadership gaps. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was drawn into the debate as well, with calls for structural ‘surgery’ growing louder.
For the fourth straight ICC tournament, Pakistan missed out on the semifinals since finishing as runners-up in the 2022 T20 World Cup, including early exits at the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy.
Hafeez aimed at Agha and Hesson after what he called a ‘painful debacle’. Though Pakistan won their final Super 8 game, the margin was not enough to boost their net run rate to go past New Zealand for the second semifinal spot in Group 2.
“I will sum it up as the end of a painful debacle. Right from the start, the way the Pakistan team was playing was incomprehensible to any cricket critic. But it kept going,” Hafeez said while speaking on a Pakistani show.
“I believe this World Cup has totally exposed the Pakistan think tank’s planning. Whatever policy they created and their decision-making process has been laid bare. The captaincy has been badly exposed,” Hafeez added.
With openers Sahibzada Farhan (100) and Fakhar Zaman (84) punishing the bowlers, Pakistan seemed set for 225+, but they fell short, finishing at 212/8.
Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to go past New Zealand’s net run rate and reach the semifinals from Group 2 of the Super Eights.
But Pakistan couldn’t do so as co-hosts, Sri Lanka, who were already out of reckoning for a semifinal spot, ended at 207/6.
