Shahid Afridi: “Pakistan faced their worst defeat in the very first match of the World Cup at the hands [the] West Indies, which dented the team’s chances in the World Cup”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes that the national team’s loss to the West Indies in their World Cup opener “dented” their chances of doing well at the tournament.

Pakistan were skittled out for 105 in that match as their batsmen had no answers on how to combat the short-pitched bowling tactics the West Indian bowlers employed.

As a result, the West Indies went on to win the match by seven wickets with 218 balls to spare.

Afridi also believes that the men in green’s lack of preparation added to their woes at the World Cup.

“Look at Pakistan, they kept on making major changes in the side prior to start of the World Cup,” he told The Nation. “Both performers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz were out of the world cup squad. Wholesale changes in the squad never produce good results. The players, who were part of Pakistan’s ODI team for the England series were dropped and replaced. Such things, when world cup is round the corner, never help. Rather [it] creates more complications.

“We should have been fully prepared and raring to go, but Pakistan faced their worst defeat in the very first match of the World Cup at the hands [the] West Indies, which dented the team’s chances in the World Cup.”

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