Pakistan’s World Cup winning captain Imran Khan took to a social networking site to console the crestfallen Pakistanis after Sunday’s defeat to India in Adelaide.
Imran, who admitted he had watched a cricket match properly for the first time in years, said that Pakistanis shouldn’t get depressed over the defeat.
“Pakistanis shouldn’t get depressed over today’s loss to India. If performance is accurately analysed, the defeat can be a blessing in disguise,” he wrote on Twitter.
Imran further said on the site: “I saw some good talent on display today but there is a need for a better strategy. The cricketer-turned-politician also expressed confidence in the bowling attack which failed to prevent India from putting up a big total (300/7) in Adelaide.
“ (Mohammad) Irfan, Wahab (Riaz), Yasir (Shah) and Sohail (Khan) can defend if batsmen give a decent target. But Younis (Khan) is a must for future matches,” Imran wrote. Meanwhile, a disgruntled all-rounder, Muhammad Hafeez, who was left out of the national squad due to an injury, feels Pakistan think-tank made several blunders in the World Cup opener against arch-rivals India.
Hafeez, who has been sent back from Australia due to a calf muscle injury, said on a local news channel that the tour selectors made a mistake by opting to open with Younis Khan. “When you have asked for Nasir Jamshed because of his excellent one-day record against India why not play him and why opt for a makeshift opener in such a big match,” Hafeez said.
The experienced all-rounder minced no words in stating that he didn’t think Younis should have been picked in the final playing eleven against India.
“Similarly it was mistake to use Umar Akmal as a wicketkeeper. I would have gone with Sarfaraz Ahmed who is the only specialist keeper in the side,” he said. Hafeez also maintained that Umar was rightly given out caught behind.
