"If you can't win this game, what should I say?" - Waqar Younis lambasts Pakistan for their 2024 T20 World Cup loss to India

Waqar Younis has hit out at the Pakistan batters for their inability to chase down a modest total in their 2024 T20 World Cup clash against India. On the flip side, he praised the Indian bowlers for staging a turnaround after their batters had let them down.

Pakistan bundled India out for 119 after Babar Azam asked them to bat first in New York on Sunday, June 9. However, the Men in Green managed only 113/7 in reply, losing the game by six runs and leaving themselves with an uphill task to qualify for the Super Eights.

Reviewing the game on Star Sports, Younis stated that Pakistan's 'horrible' performance left him speechless.

"I think India gave Pakistan a good chance of winning this game by batting poorly. They could have easily put up maybe 140-150. Losing those seven wickets right at the end didn't really help. However, India is such a good balanced side. If they don't bat well, they know they have got (Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Siraj, Ravindra (Jadeja) - they have their bowling and fielding also really covered," he elaborated.

"They are a super team. Pakistan - if you can't win this game, what should I say? This was given to you on a plate and Pakistan really spilled it. It was a horrible performance by the Pakistani batters. There were a few partnerships in the beginning but they couldn't really finish the game," the former Pakistan pacer added.

Mohammad Rizwan (31 off 44) was the only Pakistan batter to score more than 15 runs. The Men in Green seemed to be comfortably placed at 57/1 after 10 overs before a flurry of wickets cost them the game.

---

"That shot from Mohammad Rizwan was very ordinary" - Waqar Younis

Mohammad Rizwan was castled by Jasprit Bumrah while attempting an ungainly shot.

Waqar Younis opined that Mohammad Rizwan's 'ordinary' shot selection, which led to his dismissal, changed the course of the game.

"The game was in the hand, it was run-a-ball. That shot from Mohammad Rizwan was very ordinary, and when he played that shot and got out, I knew something special was going to happen because we know Bumrah and Siraj's capabilities," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also lauded the Indian bowlers for their 'brilliant' performance.

"As Irfan (Pathan) mentioned, if Hardik Pandya doesn't bat well, he will come out with the ball and he will bowl really good deliveries. He bowled good pace, banged the ball short, which was required on this surface. They used their slower ones really well. Pakistan played badly but I think it was the brilliance of India's bowling," Younis stated.

Jasprit Bumrah (3/14) was India's most successful bowler. While Hardik Pandya picked up two wickets, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh accounted for a dismissal apiece. Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja bowled economically although they weren't among the wickets.