Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has pushed back against criticism of his fitness after Pakistan’s group-stage exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Speaking on the Backward Point Podcast, the 28-year-old questioned why critics singled him out after he faced just one delivery. He pointed to Pakistan’s failure to chase 120 against India, a match he watched from outside the playing XI.
“In the 2024 World Cup, everything was blamed on me. Dude, I played only one game and faced just one ball. How can you blame me for the entire World Cup?” Azam said.
Azam said Pakistan’s batting collapse against India showed why he took issue with the focus on his fitness.
“All your fittest players didn’t do anything either. You couldn’t even chase 120 runs, yet you’re talking about fitness and skills?”
How Pakistan Fell Short Against India
Pakistan lost by six runs at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9, 2024. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah took three wickets apiece as Pakistan bowled India out for 119 in 19 overs. Pakistan then reached a position from which it needed 48 runs off the last eight overs, with eight wickets in hand.
Read More: How Short Was the Boundary? Ali Khan’s Bouncer Clears the Rope
Jasprit Bumrah led India’s fightback with figures of 3 for 14. Hardik Pandya took 2 for 24, and Pakistan finished on 113 for 7 after 20 overs. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored for Pakistan with 31 off 44 balls, while captain Babar Azam made 13.
The result left Pakistan with two defeats from its opening two Group A matches. Just days earlier, co-hosts United States had beaten Pakistan in a Super Over. That opener was Azam’s only appearance at the tournament. He fell for a golden duck, and Pakistan left him out against India. He did not play again in the campaign.
How Pakistan Missed the Super Eight
India secured its Super Eight spot by beating the United States. Pakistan’s hopes then ended when rain washed out the United States’ match against Ireland in Florida. The washout sent the tournament co-hosts through and left Pakistan without a route into the next round.
Azam has faced repeated scrutiny over his fitness, but his comments focused on how critics apportioned blame for that World Cup exit. His own tournament ended with a first-ball dismissal against the United States. Against India, Pakistan had eight wickets in hand with eight overs left and still finished short. Azam brought up that chase to question why discussion of the campaign had focused so heavily on his fitness.
