"Poor Often": Sehwag Questions Babar-led Pakistan's Dressing Room Culture

Former India batter Virender Sehwag has lashed out Pakistan amid criticism over the Babar Azam-led side’s Elimination from the T20 World Cup. Despite Pakistan bowing out with a win in their final group game against Ireland, Sehwag questioned the team’s future. After restricting Ireland to 106/9, Pakistan too had difficulties while chasing as they lost seven wickets before captain Babar Azam played a composed knock to see the side through. While analysing the match, Sehwag questioned Pakistan’s approach while chasing small totals against relatively weaker teams.

“We didn’t think that (Ireland) would reach 106 runs and we also didn’t think that Pakistan would take 19 overs to chase that down. What have Pakistan done here, I don’t get it. Yes, they won but first they let them go from 32/6 to 106 and then it wasn’t like it was a very difficult wicket or that Ireland’s bowling was so good that you had to play so carefully in the chase,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

After Pakistan’s exit from the tournament last week, reports have been rampant that the team’s performance have been affected due to groupism within the team.

The reports claimed that Babar, who was re-appointed as skipper, wasn’t able to unite the players, with Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan also happy.

Sharing his views on the same, Sehwag questioned the dressing room culture of the team, blasting the players for putting personal interests before the team.

“This is why we call them unpredictable, you can never if they will play well or poorly. In this World Cup they have been poor more often. I don’t know what their dressing room is like. If things are fine between the players. That also plays a role.

“If there are players who are unhappy with the captain or if there are two or three groups within the dressing room and so on, that also plays a role, but I say you have to keep those things to the side and think for Pakistan. This match shouldn’t have gone on for so long. But fine, at least they won it,” he added.