Shattered Pakistan reach home after World T20 debacle

MOHALI, India: It was like crying over spilt milk. Waqar Younis lost his cool and gave his players, especially the misfiring bowlers, a dressing down after Pakistan crashed out of the ICC World Twenty20 championship on Friday night.

Pakistan’s coach was not only angry at his bowler’s below-par showing in the match against Australia which his team lost by 21 runs but was seething at the overall performance of his players in the tournament.

Pakistan began the World Twenty20 with a bang by thrashing Bangladesh by 55 runs but later lost three games on the trot against India, New Zealand and Australia.

“Waqar gave the bowlers especially Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Wahab a verbal thrashing for failing to give their best in the must-win match,” said a source.

Because of the post-match meeting, Pakistan team left the Mohali stadium almost two hours after the match finished.

Later the boys arrived at the hotel and avoided the fans who were gathered there to get a glimpse of the players or take selfies with them.

Later, on Saturday Pakistan took a flight from Chandigarh to Delhi before boarding another one to Dubai on way to Lahore.

Some of the players have decided to delay their arrival in Pakistan and will stay back in Dubai.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is one of the players who have opted against returning home and will spend a day or two in Dubai before reaching Karachi.

It is a common practice for players to delay their return to Pakistan whenever the team fails perform well in a major world event.

Afridi, who had hinted before the game that retirement was imminent, said he has not yet made a final decision to call it quits.

“I’m going to go back home and in the next four-five days I will take a decision and whatever is better for the country, I will go with that. I think I will announce this in my country,” he said on Friday after Pakistan’s loss against Australia.

“As a player I’m fine but as a captain I’m not fit because it’s not easy to handle the pressure, especially if you are playing for Pakistan... the expectation pressure, the media pressure, everything.”