USA stunned Pakistan on Thursday, defeating the 2009 T20 World Cup champions in a thrilling Super Over at the Prairie View Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
This shocking loss sparked a furious reaction from former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who criticized skipper Babar Azam for his “casual” and “timid” leadership during the match. Pakistan’s defeat came after the USA tied the game at 159/7 with a last-ball boundary from Nitish Kumar, pushing the match into a Super Over. In his post-match comments, Babar stated that the team failed to execute their plans. Misbah, however, was outraged and questioned Babar’s “clueless” captaincy. He criticized the squad selection and lack of balance, noting the absence of a fast-bowling all-rounder and the failure to play a spinner despite favorable conditions. Misbah accused the team of having a casual and timid approach, implying they left everything to chance and were subsequently dominated. He remarked on Ten Sports, “There wasn’t any plan.”
Misbah highlighted the USA’s superior strategic planning and game awareness, which allowed them to outplay Pakistan. He pointed out the confusion in handling the fast bowlers and the lack of a clear plan even for the first two overs. In the Super Over, the USA capitalized on Pakistan’s mistakes by taking extra runs through byes, showcasing better fitness, speed, and smartness.
The former head coach also criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the instability in leadership and failure to address fundamental issues in the team following a poor performance in the World Cup last year. Misbah noted that the PCB has changed the white-ball captaincy in the past six months and engaged in a “musical chair” for the board chairman role without resolving the problems exposed during the ODI World Cup. He highlighted the persistence of chronic issues such as the batting order, spin bowling unit, team balance, and lack of effective planning.
