Former Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal did not hold back in his criticism after Pakistan’s shocking Super Over defeat to the USA in the 2024 T20 World Cup on Thursday. Akmal called the loss the “biggest insult” to Pakistani cricket, emphasizing that the US team, filled with semi-professional players, appeared to be “ranked above” Pakistan.
Thanks to a lackluster batting display on a decent pitch, Pakistan managed only 159/7 in their allotted overs after being put in to bat first in Dallas. In response, the US batters displayed remarkable composure and strategic acumen, forming crucial partnerships and ensuring no batter fell for single digits. This effort pushed the game into a thrilling Super Over.
In the Super Over, Pakistan’s performance was marred by poor bowling from Mohammad Amir and sloppy fielding, allowing the USA to post a challenging 18 runs. Pakistan, plagued by tactical blunders, could only muster 13/1 in response.
“The biggest insult for Pakistan cricket is losing the game in the Super Over,” Akmal said on his YouTube channel. “There can’t be a bigger insult than this. The USA played exceptionally well. They didn’t feel like a low-ranked side. It felt like they were ranked above Pakistan. That is the level of maturity they showed.” Given that it came against a former T20 World Cup winner, it was the US’s biggest international win yet.
“The Face of Our Cricket Has Been Revealed” – Kamran Akmal
The defeat highlighted significant issues for Pakistan, with the team showing a lack of strategic vision on the field. Skipper Babar Azam appeared to struggle with his options throughout the second innings, despite Pakistan having one of the tournament’s strongest bowling attacks.
“They deserved to win because they played better cricket than us. The face of our cricket has been revealed. It shows how we are taking our cricket forward,” Akmal added.
With this stunning result, the USA now has a better chance of reaching the Super Eight stage than Pakistan. Babar’s team faces a daunting task to bounce back, needing a rare victory over arch-rivals India on Sunday to keep their tournament hopes alive.
