‘Itna kharab khelega to rona hi padega’ – Fans react to reports of Pakistan captain Babar Azam crying in team hotel after loss to Afghanistan

Three successive losses for Pakistan and not sure will they recover anytime soon from their latest defeat against Afghanistan. They came into the 2023 ODI World Cup as one of the favourites and a team with a lethal pace attack. But failed to defend a target of 283 against the ‘minnows’, which has now dimmed their semi-final chances.

Before this World Cup, they had won just one match in the premier 50-over tournament. But now they have already defeated defending champions England and former champions Pakistan. This is Men in Green’s first ODI defeat against Afghanistan. Despite having a competitive total, their bowlers failed to trouble the Afghan batters, that too on a difficult Chepauk pitch.

After Pakistan’s crushing eight-wicket loss on Monday, captain Babar Azam cried at the team hotel, according to several media reports and former cricketers. “Multiple reports in media and from former players that Pakistan captain Babar Azam cried in the team hotel after losing to Afghanistan last night. Some other players had teary eyes too,” Farid Khan, a Pakistani sports journalist, posted on X.

We are not playing good cricket: Babar Azam 

After opting to bat first, Babar Azam and opener Abdullah Shafique’s half-century guided Pakistan to a score of 282/7. In reply, Afghan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran added a 130-run partnership. After their dismissal, Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi ensured that they did not lose any more wickets and formed an excellent partnership to cross the finish line in 49 overs.

Speaking after the match, Babar said: “This hurts us. We had a good total. In the bowling, we aren’t up to the mark. In the World Cup, if you are not good in even one department, then you’ll lose the match. In the field, we didn’t stop boundaries and gave away runs, that cost us. Bowling – we started well, in the middle overs, we needed wickets but we couldn’t take any wickets. All credit to Afghanistan the way they played in all three departments. That’s why they won. We are not playing good cricket in bowling and fielding. We couldn’t put pressure on the batters.”

Here’s how fans reacted to reports that Babar Azam cried after Pakistan’s loss to Afghanistan:

https://twitter.com/Gauravg2152/status/1716815083396088152

https://twitter.com/CRICKET_GOAT/status/1716813448989061144

https://twitter.com/mdrj007/status/1716814560978678155