T20 World Cup 2022: "These guys have sunk the ship for Pakistan" - Danish Kaneria slams Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
Danish Kaneria believes that Pakistan captain Babar Azam, along with Mohammad Rizwan and the team management, are to be blamed for their poor showing at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he pointed out that while it is okay to lose a few matches, it isn't acceptable when the side have absolutely zero plans. He also questioned the players for not showing enough intent in their first two matches against India and Zimbabwe at the showpiece event.
Kaneria explained:
"We must understand that Pakistan's cricket has gone into the dark. The selection committee, captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are to be blamed for that.
"These guys have sunk the ship for Pakistan. Winning and losing are part and parcel of the game. However, they went without any planning and there was absolutely no execution or intensity."
He opined that both Babar and Rizwan don't want to give their opening spots to anybody else as they are only concerned about their ICC rankings. He urged the senior players to play for their country, instead of just focusing on their individual achievements.
Kaneria suggested that Team India's Suryakumar Yadav is a much, much better cricketer than Babar, given that his focus is on winning matches for his nation, and not on claiming the top spot in the ICC rankings for batters.
He added:
"Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have blocked the opening spot. They have made it clear that they will only open. No doubt their performances have been very good. Babar and Rizwan don't want to give up their opening spot as they want to maintain their ICC rankings.
"They feel that if they come down the order, they will lose their top spots in the rankings. They should think of the country rather than their personal gains. Suryakumar Yadav is a thousand times better than Babar Azam. SKY plays with great intensity and he plays for his country, not for his ranking."
After two back-to-back losses, Pakistan are lagging behind in the race to the semi-finals. Babar and Rizwan, who have been their top performers with the bat in the recent past, have also struggled to get going in the competition so far.
"Rameez Raja is not at fault" - Danish Kaneria on the Babar Azam-led side's flopshow
Kaneria went on to say that Ramiz Raja, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), should not be targeted for the Men in Green's failures. He emphasized that the PCB chief didn't interfere in the team selection, letting Babar choose the lineup of his choice.
The former leg spinner wants Babar to take accountability for the underwhelming performances of the players that he has backed consistently. Kaneria remarked:
"The PCB chairman Rameez Raja is not at fault. He supported the captain and gave him the team that he wanted. Babar needs to show some accountability now as he was the one who backed Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali and Haider Ali."
Zimbabwe win by one run in Perth.
#WeHaveWeWill | #T20WorldCup | #PAKvZIM https://t.co/LTXrN3HMcY
Pakistan are set to face the Netherlands on Sunday, October 30, in their third match of the T20 World Cup 2022. However, their fate now lies in the hands of other Group 2 teams, as winning all of their remaining fixtures also won't assure them a semi-final berth.