Matthew Hayden was then seen lifting the boy's spirit in the dressing room
14 November, 2022
PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan had to settle for second place in the T20 World Cup 2022 after losing the final to England by five wickets at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday.
Pakistan batted first and failed to set a challenging total for the opposition, being dismissed for 137/8 in 20 overs. England did lose Alex Hales early in the response, but a match-winning cameo by Ben Stokes, who scored an unbeaten 52 off 49 balls, helped them chase the target with six balls remaining.
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Pakistan's team mentor, Matthew Hayden was then seen lifting the boys spirit in the dressing room in a video of which was shared on social media by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The former Australian opener gave a lengthy pep talk in which he praised the team's progress.
He also discussed Pakistan's chances in the ODI World Cup, which will be held in India next year.
"Take it back to a month ago when you all shared a meal at my house; I said I was confident you would lift the World Cup. Now that has not changed, nothing's changed, I am still confident that this group of young men can lift the World Cup.
"And I am confident we also have some clarity on moving forward from this tournament. How to celebrate some great performances and how to acknowledge some of the weaknesses that we have had in the last month.
"Come the World Cup in India; again, we will be celebrating getting somewhere near the World Cup. It is amazing how far we have come in the tournament," said Hayden.
This was Hayden's second appearance as Pakistan's mentor. During his previous tenure, the Men in Green made it to the final four of the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year. This time, they advanced to the final two after defeating New Zealand by seven wickets in the semifinals at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Matthew Hayden is proud of the team's effort and performance in the tournament.#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/X3cbfEqtPL
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 13, 2022
