Former Pakistan cricketers Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Hafeez have lambasted Pakistan team’s tactical errors in decision making after their two-wicket defeat against England on Tuesday in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. The loss means that Pakistan are on the verge of exiting the ongoing T20 World Cup as they have just one point from their two games after the previous game was washed out. In the aftermath of the loss, Mushtaq and Hafeez pointed out the one glaring tactical error in the second innings from captain Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan sought to defend the target of 165: the handling of their ace bowler Usman Tariq. In hindsight, that error might have swung the game in England’s favour. Pakistan’s defence of 165 started off in the best possible way thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi, who picked up a wicket in each of his first three overs after he was dropped from the XI for the previous game. But it was at the other end that Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha fumbled. He handed Salman Mirza, Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz one over each in the powerplay, and these three leaked 39 runs while picking up no wickets in their three combined overs in the powerplay while at the other Afridi took three wickets while giving away just 13 runs. It was the final over of the powerplay — bowled by Nawaz where 17 runs were scored — that came for criticism from the former Pakistan cricketers. Hafeez, in particular, was critical about not handing Tariq the ball in the 6th over. “This is a painful loss for Pakistan. Firstly, it seemed like a collection of tactical errors throughout this tournament, and we saw that again in this match. How can you handle Usman Tariq, your most impactful bowler, like this? You’ve already taken three wickets (in the first five overs)—do you plan to win the match by taking wickets or by dragging it out?” Hafeez asked on the Game On Hai show. WATCH: Shoaib Akhtar, Mohd Hafeez, Saqlain Mushtaq on Pakistan’s defeat “I would say this is a failure to utilize the talent available. As a captain, I think Salman Agha and the ‘think tank’ sitting on the sidelines committed a tactical error. Otherwise, 164 was a defendable total under those conditions. With the way England was batting, we only needed one wicket—and that was the exact moment Usman Tariq should have come on to attack and grab that breakthrough,” Hafeez added. Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq in action during a T20I against Australia. (PHOTO: AP) Usman Tariq was brought into the attack only in the 8th over where he picked up Tom Banton with his first ball. But after that five-run over, Tariq was bizarrely replaced by Saim Ayub. Tariq was later handed the ball for the 12th over, where he again delivered a wicket (Sam Curran’s) on a platter to Pakistan. Story continues below this ad “I’ve made this point two or three times before: to win a match or be impactful, you have to give your most impactful bowler the ball early. Every time he came on, he delivered a wicket, yet you kept changing him,” he added. Mushtaq also said that when Tariq got a wicket in his first over, he should have been handed another over. “Because he is a wicket-taking bowler, you could have let him bowl two overs in a row. His second over should have happened right then. On the other hand, this other bowler (Shadab) should not have been given a third over immediately after his second. You should have brought on Nawaz or someone else instead. When batsmen play two consecutive overs from the same bowler, they get set and comfortable. This is exactly where the tactical errors became obvious to us,” Mushtaq said.
‘Failure to utilize talent’: Why Pakistan’s loss to England has ex-players slamming Salman Ali Agha’s tactics
