Cricket World Cup 2023: Vulnerable Pakistan will have to show dramatic improvement if they hope to progress

Two defeats in a row, against India and Australia, have left Pakistan hugely vulnerable as the World Cup reaches its halfway stage.

With four points from four matches, the former champions are still in the middle rung of teams vying for a place in the semi-finals. But these defeats have exposed major fault lines which opposing teams will try and exploit in the matches ahead.

The defeats suffered against India and Australia were heavy, so it’s not a case of losing out in a close match that could have gone either way. India walloped their arch-rivals by eight wickets in the marquee clash that never lived up to its billing. Australia’s victory margin was 62 runs, which is huge in ODIs by any yardstick.

However, this doesn’t tell the full story, for Pakistan’s defeats, to a large extent, were self-inflicted as the following facts and stats would bear out.

Against India, for instance, after losing the openers early, Pakistan had recovered splendidly through Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan to reach 152 when the skipper fell against the run of play. Babar’s dismissal seemed to psyche the team to such an extent that Pakistan collapsed thereafter to be bowled out for a paltry 191.

The Ahmedabad pitch was hardly difficult, as Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer were to show in the run chase. Make no mistake, India bowled superbly - Siraj at the start, Pandya, Kuldeep, Jadeja in the middle overs, and Bumrah right through.

But all things considered, Pakistan’s batting fiasco had more to do with a lack of mental toughness, resilience and tenacity apart from technical inadequacies against a very strong opponent.

The pressure on Pakistan was enormous no doubt, playing in front of a partisan, 125,000-strong crowd. But they didn’t help their cause with a timid approach. Had they scored 300-320 which looked possible at one stage, it could have seriously tested India. Folding up for 191 made it a hopelessly one-sided contest.

Against Australia, Pakistan blew their best chance very early into the game, young Usama Mir, all jittery, dropping the jolliest of dollies to give dangerous David Warner a reprieve when the aggressive left-handed opener was just 10. Bowler Shahin Afridi was understandably mortified, the Aussies relieved at this stroke of luck.

Warne, who had been below part in the tournament till then, wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, smashing a brutal 163, putting on 259 with the equally hard-hitting Mitch Marsh.

Australia’s middle order didn’t show its heft, Afridi bowling with superb control and variety to pick up 5 wickets, but Pakistan were still left to chase a monumental 367 which proved beyond them despite a century-plus opening stand.

What’s going wrong for Pakistan? Several things actually.

When the World Cup started, Pakistan were rated among the top four teams to win the title. They are still in the running, but after the last two setbacks, will have to show dramatic improvement to even get into the semi-finals.