"We are talking about Pakistan and not a small country" - Aakash Chopra on whether Naseem Shah's injury was responsible for the Men in Green's exit

Aakash Chopra believes Pakistan's indifferent performances in the 2023 World Cup cannot be attributed to Naseem Shah's absence.

The Men in Green failed to qualify for the semi-finals after losing five of their nine league games. New Zealand were the only strong contenders they defeated, that too via the DLS method, and they were defeated by Afghanistan for the first time.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked whether either Naseem's injury or overconfidence was responsible for Pakistan's poor performances, to which he responded (7:15):

"Naseem's injury can play a minuscule role. It shouldn't change the entire game and make the team half because we are talking about Pakistan and not a small country, that they didn't have players."

While highlighting Pakistan's spin-bowling issues, the former India opener added that they didn't fall short because of overconfidence either. He said:

"Injuries happen and you overcome that. You know and learn how to win despite that. Spin bowling isn't there at all, what would Naseem have done there? It's not overconfidence as well."

Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan's preferred spin-bowling options, proved to be a letdown, picking up just four wickets between them. Usama Mir accounted for four dismissals in as many games but conceded an average of 7.08 runs per over. Part-time spinner Iftikhar Ahmed was their most economical bowler.

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"You are not playing modern-day cricket at all" - Aakash Chopra on Pakistan's problem

Pakistan's premier batter Babar Azam had a strike rate of 82.90 in the World Cup. [P/C: AP]

Aakash Chopra reckons old-fashioned cricket led to Pakistan's downfall. He elaborated (7:40):

"It's actually just a lack of preparation and playing cricket the way it used to be played in an earlier era. You are not playing modern-day cricket at all. You don't play modern-day cricket even in T20Is."

The renowned commentator added that Babar Azam and company play conservative cricket even in T20Is but have succeeded because of their bowling might. He explained:

"There also you survive because your bowling attack is so good. Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz become batters whose games suit the T20 format. You score good enough runs with the bat for the bowlers to do the job. So Pakistan is not playing modern-day cricket."

Chopra concluded by saying that a reality check was bound to happen at some stage, and it turned out to be the case in the World Cup.