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There is immense disappointment and anger in the Pakistan Cricket Board over the exit of the national team from the Champions Trophy.
‘Lack Of Confidence’: Sunil Gavaskar Explains What Is Troubling Pakistan Cricket (Picture credit: AP)
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said that there is a sheer lack of confidence among the current Pakistan team, which is a big reason for their inconsistent performances on the international stage and an early exit from the ongoing Champions Trophy.
There is immense disappointment and anger in the Pakistan Cricket Board over the exit of the national team from the tournament but it has decided to remain silent on the side’s affairs until the end of the Champions Trophy on Sunday, March 9.
According to reports, the officials were hurt at the way the side performed in the Champions Trophy, against arch-rivals India most importantly.
“There was a time when we used to say that the natural talent was in the West Indies. After the 1980s, we used to say the same thing about Pakistan. They had the mental strength to bowl,” Gavaskar said while speaking to Basit Ali on the latter’s YouTube channel.
“I think the shortcoming that we saw in Pakistan’s team was a lack of confidence. It’s a matter of self-confidence. There is no shortage of talent. But there is a lack of confidence,” Gavaskar said.
“The confidence that they (previous teams) used to have, you don’t see that in Pakistan’s team. It seems like they are hesitating to enter the field. It seems like they are hesitating,” Gavaskar added.
According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board sees the successful hosting of the tournament as the gateway to bringing more international events to Pakistan, despite the several hurdles it faced to get the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy.
The reports add that the Pakistan Cricket Board might appoint a new head coach before the beginning of the next World Test Championship cycle in August 2025.
Title contenders India’s slot in the semifinals of the tournament was confirmed on Monday after New Zealand’s win against Bangladesh, the result eliminating Champions Trophy hosts Pakistan from the event.
India convincingly won their first two games, defeating both Bangladesh and Pakistan by an identical margin of six wickets.
Having lost their first two matches, Pakistan required several results to go their way to ensure their qualification for the semifinals.
For more in-depth coverage of the Champions Trophy, check out the latest Points Table to see where your favorite team stands. Stay updated on the tournament’s top performers with the Most Runs and Most Wickets leaderboards. Keep following for all the latest updates!
