"I can't play in every player's place" Babar Azam gives a bizarre statement after Pakistan's exit from ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Babar Azam reckons all Pakistani players didn’t play their roles as required, which led to their group-stage exit.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam made some bizarre comments at his last press conference at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 before his team took the plane back home. Not only did Babar fail to take responsibility for his side’s group-stage exit as a batsman and captain, but he pushed for collective failure as a reason for Pakistan’s early exit.

The Men In Green won their last two matches, against Canada and Ireland, but the losses in their first two games of the tournament, against the USA and India, meant that they couldn’t reach the Super 8 round. They were expected to do better, considering they had reached the final of the previous edition and boasted a solid four-man pace attack this time.

Co-hosts USA earned five points – through wins over Canada and Pakistan and a washout against Ireland – to go to the Super 8 round along with India from Group A.

There are 11 players, and each of them has a role: Babar Azam

In the press conference after the PAK vs IRE match in Florida, which Babar’s side won, he was asked whether he took the responsibility for Pakistan’s shocking group-stage exit.

He replied, “I told you that we did not lose this because of one particular person. We win and lose as a team. You are pointing out that [I am] the captain, but I cannot play in every player’s place. There are 11 players, and each of them has a role. That’s why they came here to play the World Cup. I think we have not been able to play well as a team. We have to settle down and accept that we didn’t play well as a team.

“As a player and as a captain, I am not going to single [anyone] out. The fault lies with all 15. We will sit and review. As a captain, my responsibility is to give my feedback to the decision-makers,” he added.

With the bat, Babar scored 122 runs in four innings at a dismal strike rate of 101 and didn’t manage to hit a single half-century.

Babar was also unsure whether he would be retained as the T20I skipper. He said the decision lies with the PCB.

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