All-rounder Imad Wasim on Monday strongly dismissed rumours of grouping within the Pakistani cricket team. However, he stated that players had decided to avoid the media after defeat in a World Cup group stage match against India
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 08th July, 2019) All-rounder Imad Wasim on Monday strongly dismissed rumours of grouping within the Pakistani cricket team. However, he stated that players had decided to avoid the media after defeat in a World Cup group stage match against India.All-rounder Imad Wasim has stated this during a press conference along with teammate Shadab Khan here on Monday. He stated that Ahmed had called a team meeting after the match against India, where all players had backed and supported each other.
"The meeting was also a turning point for us as you know there were a lot of rumours circulating in the media about grouping in the team but it was nothing like that. So when we had that meeting, he Ahmed told us to avoid media reports, give our 100 per cent and produce results that are in favour of Pakistan," he reiterated.Wasim also condemned the bashing that the players received at the hands of the media and public, saying that criticism over personal issues is not okay.
"When we play against India, it seems like we have gone to fight a war," he said. "It is a game, and winning and losing is part of a game.When asked if he blamed luck for Pakistan's failure to qualify for the semifinals despite four wins under their belt, Wasim said: "I don't believe in luck, we should make our own destiny. We should work hard. result is not in our hands the things that are controllable are in our hands.Responding a question, Shadab Khan said that even though the team's performance had improved drastically after the dismal defeat from West Indies, Pakistan could not increase their net run rate because the pitches did not allow higher scores.
Wasim said that after Pakistan's awful performance against West Indies when the Green Shirts were all-out for 105 the net run rate had fallen too low and therefore, the team focused on winning the rest of the matches and hoped for other results to go in Pakistan's favour. When asked which team they believe would win the World Cup, Khan replied Australia, while Wasim declared England and India as favourites. It was worth mentioned here that players returned to the country from the United Kingdom after Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals due to net run-rate difference with New Zealand after both the teams earned 11 points each from nine league matches.
