Pakistan faced a devastating blow in the 2024 T20 World Cup as they were officially eliminated from contention just a day after their hopes were dashed. All-rounder Imad Wasim expressed deep disappointment, describing it as the lowest point in his career. The team’s downfall began with a shocking defeat to USA followed by a heartbreaking loss against arch-rivals India. Although they managed a victory against Canada, Pakistan’s fate was no longer in their hands. They needed USA to lose both their remaining matches while also securing a win against Ireland themselves. Despite USA’s loss to India, a match with Ireland ended in a washout, ultimately allowing the co-hosts to advance instead of Pakistan.
Imad Wasim: This is the lowest point of Pakistani cricket
Imad Wasim, while acknowledging the team’s elimination, emphasized their commitment to finish the tournament strong, particularly in their upcoming match against Ireland. “Yes, this is the lowest point. You can’t go any lower than this. That’s the fact,” Imad lamented. He stressed the importance of playing with pride and dedication, despite the game being inconsequential in terms of tournament progress.
PAK vs IND T20 WC 2024: Imad Wasim on the turning point of India-Pakistan match
“That 17th over, I think, I feel that the move of the runs in that over was a turning point. It’s unfortunate that it happens, it’s an incident but it was a big game. Our team and I are more disappointed than you are. I let [the team] down because usually when I go in this situation, I am very calm and finish the job. And this was my job to finish which I couldn’t do. I will regret this and I still regret it. But this is life. Sometimes you make mistakes. But life is like that, sometimes you make mistakes. So, you can say that this was a phase in my life which I unfortunately could not achieve. I will regret it, but my execution was not good’ says Imad.
Pakistan Cricket’s future
Looking ahead, Imad encouraged Pakistan to adopt a fearless approach to cricket, echoing the need to compete on par with the top teams in the world. When questioned about potential changes to the team setup, he opted not to comment directly but hoped for improvements that would benefit Pakistan cricket in the future.
The tournament, which saw Imad return from retirement with high hopes, ended in bitter disappointment for him and the team, failing to achieve their goals against familiar rivals and falling short of expectations set for them.
Pakistan’s Shocking Exit
The rainout match of USA vs IRE was a disaster for Pakistan. USA gained a point automatically, securing their spot in the Super 8s with five points. Pakistan stayed at four points, ending their chances of moving forward. Throughout the tournament, Pakistan’s journey has been up and down. They showed flashes of brilliance mixed with moments of disappointment. Despite playing well in earlier matches, the washout was a harsh way to end their campaign. Pakistani players and fans will surely feel disappointed about what could have been if the weather had not disrupted their chances.
