Ex-player lambasts PCB after Pakistan's humiliation against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup final

By

Sports Desk

September 12, 2022

Former pacer Sikandar Bakht severely criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) management after Babar Azam's side lost the Asia Cup final to Sri Lanka.

Speaking during Geo News' programme "Geo Pakistan", Bakht questioned the strategy adopted by the Pakistani team for the final match against the island nation.

Bakht said he did not see any game plan from the team and the management should now reconsider its strategy for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

Sri Lanka, who had to abandon plans to host the competition due to political unrest, bounced back from an embarrassing opening defeat by Afghanistan to win the tournament, a curtain-raiser for next month’s ICC tournament.

Sri Lankas Pramod Madushan (R) celebrates after dismissing the last Pakistans wicket to win the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket final match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 11, 2022. — AFP — Sri Lanka's Pramod Madushan (R) celebrates after dismissing the last Pakistan's wicket to win the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket final match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 11, 2022. — AFP

Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s unbeaten 71 and Wanindu Hasaranga’s key contributions with both bat and ball fired Sri Lanka to their sixth Asia Cup title with a 23-run win over Pakistan.

Fast bowler Pramod Madushan (4-34) and Hasaranga (3-27) shared seven wickets between them to bowl out Pakistan for 147 while chasing 171 in Dubai.

The Pakistani team, which was earlier considered a favourite to win the Asia Cup, couldn’t deliver and lost the match, triggering an angry response from the former cricketers and fans.