Pakistan’s Coach Reflects on Women’s T20 World Cup Exit
Pakistan’s coach, Wahab Riaz, expressed disappointment after his team’s early exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup. On Saturday, Pakistan faced a 23-run defeat against Bangladesh at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, which meant they were knocked out of the tournament.
Chasing a target of 124 runs, Pakistan started strong at 69 for 2 after 11 overs. However, they suffered a sudden batting collapse, ending the match at just 100 for 8.
Wahab emphasized that the team’s struggles were self-inflicted rather than due to superior performance from their opponents. He highlighted the team’s inability to manage pressure, noting similar issues during their earlier matches.
Following the defeat, which left Pakistan winless in the tournament, Wahab said, “It’s really disappointing to be out of the World Cup. I believe that we have let ourselves down more than being outperformed by other teams. The last few games were ours to win, but we couldn’t rise to the occasion.”
Pakistan’s Batting Woes
Pakistan’s troubles with batting were evident through the tournament. In their match against India, they were initially in a solid position at 51 for 1 before losing several quick wickets. Against South Africa, they stumbled to 50 for 8, as a fierce bowling attack broke their momentum.
Captain Fatima Sana put up a commendable fight against South Africa, scoring 55 runs and taking three wickets, but her efforts weren’t enough. In their match against Bangladesh, Pakistan started well with a solid 49-run opening partnership but once again fell apart, leading to their elimination.
With three losses under their belt, Pakistan aims to put a better performance when they face Australia in their next match on June 23, followed by a game against the Netherlands on June 27.
The team hopes to finish the tournament on a positive note, aiming to regain some pride in their remaining fixtures.
