T20 World Cup 2022: "He would have heard a few choice words if I was there in their camp" - Irfan Pathan criticizes David Warner's mode of dismissal
Irfan Pathan has criticized David Warner's mode of dismissal in Australia's T20 World Cup 2022 clash against Afghanistan.
David Warner was bowled by Naveen-ul-Haq while attempting to play a switch hit after having scored 25 runs in the Group 1 Super 12 game in Adelaide on Friday, November 4. The defending champions went on to post a total of 168/8 and eventually won the match by just four runs.
While reviewing the game on Star Sports, Pathan was extremely critical of Warner's shot selection and said:
"The sort of shot David Warner played, he would have heard a few choice words if I was there in their camp. You are trying to play a switch hit against a fast bowler when you are still searching for your form, so it was cricket of an extremely low standard."
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Pathan was asked whether Australia have played like the defending T20 World Cup champions. He replied in the negative, elaborating:
"They have not played like that at all. If you see the first game against New Zealand, it seemed they were playing cricket on the back foot from the first over itself. They have not played cricket worthy of a world champion and that too in their own home conditions."
Australia were trounced by New Zealand by 89 runs in the opening Super 12 game of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Mitchell Starc was smashed for two fours and a six by Finn Allen in the first over of the game and the hosts never recovered from that hammering.
"It was surprising" - Irfan Pathan on Australia not trying to win by a big margin against Afghanistan
Pathan was further asked about his views on Australia not trying at all to win by a big margin against Afghanistan. He responded:
"It was surprising because when you came to bowl, when the first wicket had fallen, after that also there was no slip. It was not that there was no movement from the pitch, it was the Adelaide pitch, there was slight grass, you will get the extra bounce and a four went through the slips as well."
Pathan concluded by pointing out that Australia were fortunate to win the game. The former India all-rounder explained:
"It is clear that if you do not show aggression, you drive the game from the back foot, it will be problems for you. That is what happened in the end. This game would have ended long back in Afghanistan's favor if they had a slightly experienced batter in the middle overs."
What a wonderful game. Afghanistan lost but the talk was all about them. Loved how the narrative changed from how well Australia could win to whether they could actually win.
Australia's win against Afghanistan has kept alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the tournament for the time being. They will either need Sri Lanka to beat England in the final Group 1 game on Saturday, November 5, or the match to be a no-result to make it through to the last four.