Usman Tariq comes to the rescue of out-of-form Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi
COLOMBO: Pakistan’s mysterious pace bowler Usman Tariq has expressed his support for senior stars Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi ahead of their 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against Namibia, scheduled for Wednesday at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
The reassurance comes in the wake of Pakistan’s disappointing defeat to India, a result that drew heavy criticism of the team’s senior players.
Babar scored just five runs in this tense encounter, while Shaheen conceded 31 runs in his two overs, leaving fans and analysts wondering about their form.
During the pre-match press conference, Usman Tariq highlighted the immense contribution of the experienced pair and urged patience, noting that ups and downs are part of the sport.
He expressed confidence that the team will bounce back strongly in the next match.
“Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi have won many matches for us. Winning and losing are part of the game. Going forward, you will see us play well,” Tariq said.
The pitcher also shed light on the team’s internal review process after setbacks, emphasizing that the focus remains on identifying mistakes and ensuring they don’t happen again.
He believes learning from losses is essential to consistently performing at the highest level.
“After every match, discussions revolve around what went wrong. If one match doesn’t go well, that’s part of the game,” he added.
Tariq emphasized that the team has actively worked to correct mistakes and improve execution, insisting that it’s unresolved mistakes, not losses, that create long-term problems.
He also addressed the mental aspect of the game, emphasizing the importance of managing pressure in crucial matches.
“Feeling pressure is normal. Controlling it is part of the job, and we have worked on that. Right now, I don’t feel the team is under pressure,” he concluded.
Pakistan currently sits third in Group A with two wins and one loss, with a net run rate of -0.403.
A win against Namibia would take them to the Super Eight stage with six points and second place in their group, behind only India.
