Pakistan’s long string of defeats to India has left a sour taste in the mouths of several former greats from across the border. India’s 61-run win on Sunday was their fourth straight victory over Pakistan, dating back to September 2022; in fact, since 2017, Pakistan have beaten India just thrice – the final of the Champions Trophy, the 2021 T20 World Cup and once during the 2022 Asia Cup. Otherwise, it’s been one-way traffic, as the rivalry, which once used to be known as the ‘Mother of all Battles’, has fallen awfully flat.
Pakistan’s sharp dip in performance could be attributed to several factors, including the politicisation of the PCB and the treatment of coaches. However, the most detrimental cause, as Mohammad Yousuf pointed out, is the arrogance that crept into this unit after their win over India in Dubai in 2021. At the 2021 T20 World Cup league game, Pakistan smashed India by 10 wickets to register their first win over the Men in Blue in World Cups across formats, and that, Yusuf insists, is where the downfall began.
“Fortunately, or unfortunately, the match that we won by 10 wickets against India, we began to think there’s no one better than us. Everyone became disrespectful. When the head coach was speaking, someone would either look at their phone or stare elsewhere. It all began after that match. This is never a good thing for any player. You need to be grounded, which we saw with Inzamam bhai, Saeed bhai… they were big players. Still, they always listened to what the coaches had to say,” Yousuf, the Pakistan captain, said on the ‘How Does it Work’ podcast.
Yousuf hit the bullseye with his claim, as less than 24 hours ago, Shadab Khan made remarks that appeared to validate Yousuf’s sentiments. After several former Pakistan greats criticised the current team under Salman Agha, questioning their brand of cricket and their inability to beat India, Shadab responded with a statement that reflected the same traits Yousuf had accused the side of displaying.
“Our ex-cricketers have their own opinions. They have done well for Pakistan, and at the end of the day, they have also never defeated India in the World Cup. We were the ones who defeated India in the 2021 World Cup. In World Cups, we have beaten India only once. Yes, they are legends, but they have never done anything remarkable against India in the World Cup,” said Shadab.
Yousuf wanted to drop Babar but…
Yousuf, who briefly served as the national team’s batting coach, spoke about Babar Azam’s slump in form. Once a rising star of world cricket, Babar’s runs have dried up considerably. The former Pakistan captain notched up a century against Sri Lanka in an ODI in November, but it came after 807 days. Ever since, runs have alluded him again. Yousuf revealed that he wanted to drop Babar based on his form, but after facing heat from the decision-makers, he stepped down from his position just three months later.
“Babar Azam’s technique has deteriorated. No player can remain out of form for three years. I had been saying this for a long time, but people kept asking, ‘How can anyone drop Babar?’ So I felt it was better to resign. What has happened to him today is because of the same people who doubted me,” added the 51-year-old.
