Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag did not hold back in expressing his views on Pakistan's early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup and its implications for future tournaments. Pakistan's campaign came to an abrupt end after defeats to the United States and arch-rivals India, followed by a critical rain-induced washout in the match between Ireland and the USA.
Sehwag emphasised that Pakistan's elimination was primarily due to their own underwhelming performances rather than external factors like weather interruptions. Reflecting on their loss against India, Sehwag pointed out that failing to chase down a modest target of 120 runs, only managing 113 with wickets in hand, highlighted serious deficiencies in Pakistan's gameplay.
He criticised Pakistan's inability to handle pressure situations and suggested that their poor performances did not merit advancement to the Super Eight stage. Sehwag highlighted that even if Pakistan had progressed due to an Irish win against the USA, they would have faced tough opposition in the next round, indicating that their struggles were not confined to their group-stage exit.
Addressing the longstanding practice of grouping India and Pakistan together in ICC tournaments, Sehwag suggested a rethink of this strategy. While acknowledging the high viewership and fan interest generated by their clashes, Sehwag referenced the 2007 T20 World Cup when neither India nor Pakistan advanced beyond the initial group stage despite being in separate groups. He hinted that ICC might reconsider keeping these two cricketing giants in the same group to ensure competitive balance in future tournaments.
Sehwag's candid assessment underscored the disappointment among cricket fans and analysts over Pakistan's performance in the T20 World Cup and raised pertinent questions about tournament logistics and team compositions in ICC events. His comments reflect a broader concern about ensuring that teams advance based on merit and performance, rather than being aided by external factors such as weather conditions or favourable group placements.