Pakistan assistant coach Azhar Mahmood previews their must-win ICC T20 Cricket World Cup clash with Canada
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, USA
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, USA
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Q. What is the mood of the team? You have lost two back-to-back matches. Do you feel that you are playing as a team or are the players going to play individually? How will you analyze all these situations and how did you come out of it?
00:23A. I will not say one thing. After 12 overs we were 72 for 2. You need 48 runs on 48 balls. You have 8 wickets in your hand.
00:36Decision making and shot selection is not the right time to play those shots. I am not saying the shot was not on. Shot was on but not the right time or the right choices.
00:51I am not going to name names here but you know what I am saying. You have to play according to the situation in front of you.
01:00If 6 runs are averaged on 10 runs or 18 runs on 18 runs, we had the same concern. We lost 38-39 wickets in those matches.
01:18So in T20 format, it should not be that much. I think decision making and shot selection is the right time.
01:25Ajoy, the way we have come to the World Cup, the practice matches, the bilaterals, there were a lot of silly mistakes.
01:35Do you think there is a factor of fear of failure in our boys? In USA, we took them light. Yesterday against India, there is a fear of failure in this team.
01:45Confidence is on the outfield but when there is a pressure of performance within the team, do you think fear of failure comes to our mind?
01:57There is a fear of failure in the game. If a player has self-doubt, it is difficult to overcome it.
02:12If the whole world is saying that Pakistan team is not good, if we believe in ourselves, we can prove the world wrong.
02:20Fear of failure is a part of the game. Expectations are high. You have to perform well.
02:27It is possible that a player has fear of failure. But it is not possible that 15 players have fear of failure.
02:38Azhar, the timid approach on Pakistan's batting is often criticized. There was a lot of debate about the strike rate.
02:53Players have changed, some new players have come, some old players too.
02:57Why does the timid approach in the last three overs go to 10, 12 or 14?
03:05When will Pakistan qualify for the semi-final or super 8? In the last world cup, we were dependent on the Netherlands to defeat South Africa.
03:17Why don't they qualify for their own strength? We are still dependent on other teams.
03:25When we talk about the strike rate, the whole focus is on Babar and Razi.
03:36If you go back two years, the problem is that you need a partnership, you need a platform.
03:45Then you lose victims in the 10-15 hour period.
03:51If you look at India, they played 10-15 hours, they played 19 runs and lost 4 wickets.
03:57When your wickets fall, you can control the opposition in T20 format.
04:02When your wickets fall, if you are bowling, you can control the opposition.
04:07If there is a partnership in T20, because T20 is a small format,
04:13you need a partnership to win the match.
04:17Even if you have 5 outs, you need a partnership to win the match.
04:21When you play a big tournament, you need a little luck to defeat anyone.
04:31We are not talking about Pakistan, we are talking about teams from all over the world.
04:34You need a little luck to win a big tournament.
04:39Moving forward, you must have seen that I talked about the strike rate,
04:48we talked about the rotation policy, we used different players on different numbers.
04:56We are trying to see what can click for us.
05:01Unfortunately, the things we wanted to try, did not click for us.
05:06The major factor was short selection and decision making.
05:13If you take the right decision at the right time, you will benefit from it.
05:19It comes from nerves and failure.
05:26If you don't have calmness, when your body is tight, decision making will be wrong.
05:36Tomorrow's match is nothing to lose for us, because we have to win both the matches.
05:44If we lose, you never know.
05:51This is not the last time, we have to win our next two games.
05:58My question is, don't you think that Pakistan has failed to make the right combination in T20?
06:05In T20, the teams who have a long tail are doing well.
06:09We have four fast bowlers and Imad Shadab.
06:12Yesterday we saw that it was a low scoring match, but our batting was like it was over.
06:18Don't you think that because we have four fast bowlers and Imad Shadab, our batting has been satisfied?
06:25If you look at our batting line-up, if Shadab and Imad are playing,
06:32Shadab is playing at number 8.
06:35You can't say that our batting is less.
06:38In T20 format, you should play at number 8 or 9.
06:43Shaheen Shah and Naseem can also bat.
06:47These are our players at number 9 and 10.
06:50We can't depend on them to win the match.
06:56It's the responsibility of our top order, the seven batsmen, to run and win the match.
07:03In bowling, it's the responsibility of our bowlers to win the match.
07:07We don't expect a non-regular bowler to win the match.
07:12This is the reason why you can't expect a top order bowler to win the match.
07:21Waseem Akram said that Babar and Shaheen are not talking to each other in the team.
07:29Some people are saying that Imad was injured and was not fully covered.
07:34That's why he was not able to play shots and kept hiding his injury.
07:38Is this honesty?
07:41When it comes to responsibility,
07:45the coaches are coming to the press conference.
07:51Are the players being kept in the dark?
07:54Will the captain take the responsibility?
07:56Who will take the responsibility of going to the tournament with such a humiliating defeat?
08:01I don't know if Waseem Akram said this, but Shaheen and Babar are good friends.
08:18They are part of the Pakistan team.
08:20You asked who will take the responsibility.
08:23I think we will take the responsibility as a team management.
08:27We will take the blame of everyone.
08:37There is no one who lost because of him.
08:39We have our own mistakes and we will correct them.
08:42You had another question.
08:45Are the players being kept in the dark?
08:48No, no one is being kept in the dark.
08:50As I said earlier, we are a team.
08:54It is obvious that we are sitting here and it is our responsibility.
08:58We are not delivering.
09:00That's why I am sitting here and yesterday Gary was sitting here.
09:03It is not like we are hiding a player.
09:06They are part of us.
09:08This is the last question.
09:20You have to do the pre-match.
09:22We will talk about it in tomorrow's match.
09:24We will talk about it in tomorrow's match.
09:32The nation wants to know about tomorrow's match.
09:35Let me ask the question.
09:39Ajju bhai, we saw the journey from Dallas to New York.
09:43We see that the players are given a diet plan.
09:48The rules and regulations are followed.
09:54We went to different places.
09:56Because the team is losing and losing badly.
09:58We saw the players going to different places at 1 or 1.30 in the night.
10:03We saw how the players were treated.
10:09Did you see the match day?
10:13No, I didn't see the match day.
10:15Cricket is played on the ground.
10:18There is life beyond cricket.
10:20You were there.
10:22I have seen you there.
10:25We are a very emotional nation.
10:30If you lose the match, your life will end.
10:36How will you do it?
10:38If you lose the match, you will hit the walls of the room.
10:43You need some time to relax.
10:47Our players are not like that.
10:49I have been with English teams.
10:51If they go to such places, you can only go to eat.
10:55This is our entertainment.
10:57Tell me, who is not following the diet plan?
11:01All the teams in the world do it.
11:04When we lose, we feel that we are not following the diet plan.
11:09If they had won, you wouldn't be asking me this question.
11:13This is how it is.
11:15Move on.
11:17I want to say that...
11:19Move on.
11:21Azhar, there is no room for error.
11:25There is no room for error.
11:27I hope Pakistan does not become complacent.
11:31There are some players in the Canadian team...
11:33who have played in Pakistan U19.
11:35They have played in Pakistan.
11:37Do you know that in the past...
11:40Kalim Sinha played in Pakistan U16 till 2017.
11:47Do you know them?
11:49Do you want to say something to them?
11:52There is no question of being complacent.
11:55After these two defeats, no one is complacent.
11:58I don't think so.
12:01If someone is complacent, it is obvious.
12:04Whoever it is, it doesn't deserve...
12:08playing for your country.
12:10There is no such thing after this.
12:12It is obvious.
12:13You talked about the USA and Canada.
12:15There are some players...
12:17who have played first class cricket...
12:20in India, Sri Lanka and other countries.
12:25I told you earlier...
12:27that you cannot underestimate any team in T20 format.
12:30If you have one partnership, you can lose the match.
12:33We have to be fully prepared.
12:35It is obvious that the morale of the team is down.
12:37It is time to show our character.
12:41We have to play positive and good cricket.
12:45Azhar, Farrukh Siddiqui from SportsTrend Canada.
12:49How do you assess the Canadian team in the current situation?
12:53What do you judge them about tomorrow's match?
12:56Will you try any new players in tomorrow's match?
13:01We have only 15 players.
13:04Who haven't played yet?
13:06Yes, we can.
13:08We haven't decided the team yet.
13:10As far as Canada is concerned,
13:12if you look at the first match,
13:14they played 1-9-4.
13:16They have players like this against America.
13:18They have players who can run.
13:21We shouldn't take anything for granted.
13:23We can't do anything now.
13:25We have to win the match.
13:27Azhar, you won't be complacent for tomorrow's match.
13:31You won't be practicing today for a particular reason.
13:34No, we were like this before as well.
13:37It's not about losing.
13:39If you look at the past,
13:41there is a match tomorrow.
13:43If we practice today, there is a match tomorrow.
13:45We did some travelling that day.
13:47We had a good session.
13:49I don't think it will make a difference if we practice.
13:53We have to focus mentally.
13:56We have to be mentally ready.
13:58That is more important.
14:00Physical practice is not enough.
14:02Boys practice for 2-2 hours.
14:04Right now, the focus is on the mind.
14:07How do we prepare ourselves for tomorrow's match?
14:11You have to spend time with the coach.
14:13Yes, absolutely.