"Their problems are discipline, fielding and disintegrating under pressure" - Mohammad Kaif on Pakistan heading into 2024 T20 World Cup clash vs India
Mohammad Kaif reckons Pakistan's indiscipline, poor fielding, and tendency to disintegrate under pressure are their biggest concerns heading into their 2024 T20 World Cup clash against India in New York on Sunday, June 9. He noted that these have been the Men in Green's perennial issues.
Pakistan suffered a shock Super Over defeat at the hands of the United States of America in their tournament opener in Dallas on Thursday, June 6. They will hope to be at the top of their game against India as a loss will be a massive setback to their Super Eight qualification hopes.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif was asked whether Pakistan would be under pressure heading into the clash against arch-rivals India.
"Their problems are discipline, fielding and disintegrating under pressure. These are their very old problems. Pakistan's biggest problem is their fielding. Monank Patel's catch came and Ifthikar Ahmed stood there like a statue - try at least, put in a dive, it's okay if you drop it, but he was standing like a statue," he responded.
The former India batter noted that fielding cost Pakistan the game against the United States.
"Monank then won the game. In the 19th or 20th over, there was a drive to mid-off and if Shaheeh Shah Afridi had taken that catch, they would have won the match. In the Super Over, Mohammad Rizwan, the keeper, was giving runs through overthrows," Kaif said.
Iftikhar Ahmed didn't make any attempt to take the catch when Monank Patel edged a Shaheen Shah Afridi delivery in the third over. While Afridi grassed Aaron Jones' catch in the final over, Mohammad Rizwan gave four byes in the Super Over, including an overthrow.
"Mohammad Amir was bowling wides" - Mohammad Kaif on Pakistan's indiscipline
Mohammad Kaif cited Mohammad Amir's three wides in the Super Over as an example of Pakistan's indiscipline and floundering under pressure.
"Mohammad Amir was bowling wides. They don't have discipline at all. You cannot survive by bowling wide balls. He is an experienced bowler. Eight (seven) runs were scored without the bat hitting the ball. Only one boundary was hit and the rest all were wide balls. Pakistan looked under so much pressure. Their problem is within. They disintegrate under pressure," he elaborated in the same interaction.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Pakistan should have defended the 160-run target and that discipline cannot be caught.
"Runs were scored. They somehow reached 160 and they could have trapped the USA. They have Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi - they have the bowling. However, the bowling was also bad. They looked flat everywhere. A pressure game is not their strength. No one can teach how to remain disciplined in a big match," Kaif observed.
Haris Rauf allowed Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar to score 11 runs off the final three balls to help the United States tie the main game. Amir then conceded 18 runs in the Super Over, with Pakistan managing only 13 in reply.