Javeria Khan criticizes Pakistan's self-inflicted defeat against India in T20 World Cup

Former Pakistani cricketer Javeria Khan has added her voice to the growing criticism of Pakistan's unexpected loss to India in their T20 World Cup 2024 clash, held on Sunday at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

In a tweet on her X account (formerly known as Twitter), Khan stated, “India didn’t beat Pakistan. Pakistan beat itself.” 

This statement reflects the general sentiment surrounding Pakistan's performance, as they failed to chase a modest target of 120 runs, ultimately finishing at 113/7.

Pakistan's batting performance was underwhelming from the outset. Captain Babar Azam managed to score only 13 runs off 10 balls, while experienced wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan played a sluggish innings, scoring 31 runs off 44 balls. This slow pace did little to bolster Pakistan's chances.

As the game progressed, the responsibility to clinch the victory fell to tailenders Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah. Naseem displayed a brief but valiant effort, scoring 10 runs off four balls, including two boundaries, in a desperate bid to turn the game in Pakistan's favor. However, despite his earlier success with the ball, taking three crucial wickets including that of Indian star Virat Kohli, Naseem's efforts were not enough to secure a win.

This defeat has placed Pakistan in a precarious position in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2024. They currently sit in fourth place after back-to-back losses, with their first defeat coming against the relatively inexperienced team from the USA. Pakistan’s chances of advancing to the Super 8s now hinge on their upcoming matches and the performances of other teams in the group.