Following Pakistan’s record defeat against India, Mohammad Yousuf called for the axing of three stalwarts from the T20I side.
India thrash Pakistan by record margin
India beat Pakistan by 61 runs at Colombo to extend their head-to-head record at the T20 World Cup to 8-1. The margin of victory is also the biggest margin of victory in India-Pakistan men’s T20Is by a team batting first.
India posted 175-7 after Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to field on a sluggish surface. Ishan Kishan blazed away to a 40-ball 77, out of a team total of 88 during his stay. In conditions where Pakistan became the first team to use six spinners in an innings at the Men’s T20 World Cup, India did well to put up the highest total in an India-Pakistan match in the history of the tournament. For Pakistan, Saim Ayub returned figures of 4-0-25-3.
Pakistan’s innings fell away when the Indian fast bowlers reduced them to 14-3 inside two overs. They then became 34-4 before Usman Khan (44 in 34) pushed the score, but once the spinners came on, Pakistan had no answer. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy shared two wickets apiece.
“Pakistan’s T20 squad needs new performers”
After the game, former Pakistan captain Yousuf made no effort to hide his feelings. “Time’s up for Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab, Pakistan’s T20 squad needs new performers, not empty wins against weaker sides,” he wrote on X (Twitter) about three cricketers, all of whom have led Pakistan.
Batting at two-drop, Babar struggled to make a seven-ball five before Axar bowled him. After conceding 17 in his only over, Shadab Khan struggled during his 15-ball 14. And Shaheen Shah Afridi returned 2-0-31-1 on a surface where the two Indian fast bowlers, between them, had 5-1-33-4.
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