‘Even India didn’t do it, what insecurities do we have? – Salman Butt criticises Pakistan for their tactics in T20 World Cup warm-up

Veteran cricketer Salman Butt has lashed out at the Pakistan national team for not giving game-time to their out-of-form players in the warm-up matches prior to the 2021 T20 World Cup. On Monday, Babar Azam and Co defeated the West Indies by seven wickets as they chased down 131 with as many as 27 balls to spare. However, they slumped to a six-wicket defeat to South Africa.

Butt reckoned that Pakistan could have made optimum utilisation of the practice games before taking on the big guns in the Super 12s, starting October 23. He said that the Men in Green could have a taken a cue from Team India, who made use of all their players against England and Australia despite their players taking part in the Indian Premier League.

Now, what is their mindset of going ahead? Salman Butt

“India have utilized these warmup matches well… they’ve given game time to everyone despite the fact that they’ve all played the IPL. If they had not done this and had played with their playing XI, even then we could have argued that ‘They haven’t played together as a team so are doing it now’. But even they didn’t do it.

“I don’t know what insecurity we have that ‘someone else should not make runs in that position or someone else should not get that opportunity’. For God’s sake, you are the captain, you have to use your players, where will you do that?” Butt said on his YouTube channel.

Butt feared that if Babar Azam, their skipper, and Mohammad Rizwan get out early, the rest of the batting may end up facing lots of trouble against the new ball.

“Can’t it happen that God forbid that you both [Babar and Rizwan] will get out in the first over? Then also someone will have to play against the new ball. See, Babar got out early here [against South Africa] na? Now, what is their mindset of going ahead? I don’t understand this strategy,” he added.

Pakistan were set win the game against the Proteas, who needed 19 runs to win off the last over. But Rassie van der Dussen’s 51-ball 101 robbed them of a victory. Hasan Ali conceded 22 in his last over to conceded the game.