T20 World Cup 2024: “Pakistan do not believe they can beat India” – Michael Vaughan slams Babar Azam’s team

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan feels Pakistan lacks belief that they can beat India at the World Cup stage. India registered their seventh T20 World Cup win against the arch-rivals when they defeated the Babar Azam-led team by six runs. 

India posted a paltry score of 119 runs on the board but Pakistan could not get over the line as they managed only 113-7. Jasprit Bumrah was the chief destroyer as the gun fast bowler returned with impressive figures of 3-14 in his quota of four overs. Moreover, he bowled 15 dot balls to put pressure on the opposition.

Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 31 runs but the Pakistan opener chewed up 44 balls in the run-chase. Pakistan were 57-1 after 10 overs but veered off the track as they kept losing regular wickets.

Michael Vaughan said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, “Pakistan just cannot beat India. They are chasing 120. It was an iffy pitch. Probably it did more when India were batting. It was a more of a sticky-stoppy motion when India were batting. When Pakistan were batting, actually the pitch played okay and they still couldn’t get 120. My fundamental summary is Pakistan do not believe they can beat India.”

Vaughan feels the Pakistan Cricket Board should back Shaheen Shah Afridi as their captain in place of Babar Azam, who many experts feel was not up to the mark as a leader against India.

“I think they need to go back to Shaheen (as captain). Clearly, they are a better team when they’re juggling the captaincy around a bit. If there was ever a team in the history of cricket to do that kind of a thing (sacking captain) mid-match, Pakistan are favorites to deliver that kind of sacking.”

Pakistan won against Canada by seven wickets on Tuesday to register their first win of the tournament.