Pakistan’s Imad Wasim plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York, Sunday, June 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Wasim was in the middle during Pakistan’s tense run chase of India’s modest total of 119, but despite needing run-a-ball up till the 15th over, Pakistan could not cross the line with Wasim, known to be a calm head under pressure, managed only 15 runs off 23 balls
Imad Wasim came out of retirement to be part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, but with Pakistan failing to make the Super phase of the tournament losing to the USA and then to Pakistan, the 2022 finalists are left to play for pride in their final league game against Ireland in Florida.
Wasim was in the middle during Pakistan’s tense run chase of India’s modest total of 119, but despite needing run-a-ball up till the 15th over, Pakistan could not cross the line with Wasim, known to be a calm head under pressure, managed only 15 runs off 23 balls as Indian bowlers stifled Pakistan batters. Pakistan eventually fell short of 6 runs despite three wickets remaining.
Wasim conceded that he wanted to take the game deep and that was his plan, however, he failed to execute it and it is something he will regret.
“I let down because usually when I go in this situation, I am very calm and finish the job. And this was my job to finish which I couldn’t do. I will regret this and I still regret it. But this is life. Sometimes you make mistakes. But life is like that, sometimes you make mistakes. So, you can say that this was a phase in my life that I unfortunately could not achieve. I will regret it, but my execution was not good,” said Wasim when asked about the Pakistan game, ahead of his team’s final T20 World Cup 2024 match against Ireland.
“The game plan was to take the ball deep. The wicket was not good to play. It was a little difficult. Unfortunately, my plan was going according to plan but not execution. Usually when I bat, I take the ball deep. And if I hit any boundary on either end, the game would have been different. Having said that, he did very well in bowling and he did it on the spot. He didn’t bowl too badly.
Wasim played out three dots in the 16th over from Axar Patel that went for only 2 runs and the subsequent over bowled by Hardik Pandya went for just 5 runs and Pakistan lost Shadab Khan. Wasim pointed out that this was the phase of the chase were he felt more runs should have been scored.
“Usually, under pressure, bowlers give you a ball and there is a margin. But I think I was taking the game deep and I was hoping that a new batsman would come and for that it is virtually impossible. But Naseem hit two good shots. That 17th over, I think, I feel that the move of the runs in that over was a turning point. It’s unfortunate that it happens, it’s an incident but it was a big game. Our team and I are more disappointed than you are,” he went on to add.
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