Imad Wasim Calls For ‘Change In Mindset’ From Players Ahead of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 Tie Vs Ireland

New Delhi: Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim called for a change in mindset in the current national team and urged the players to brush off the fear of failure if they want to go on level with the top teams in the world. Led by Babar Azam, Pakistan managed just two points from three games and have been eliminated from the qualification race for Super 8 in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, with a game to go. Notably, it was Pakistan worst ever T20 World Cup show.

Coming into the tournament on the back of a series loss against England, Pakistan were expected to easily cross the first hurdle – getting past the group stage. However, they hit a roadblock in their campaign opener, losing to minnows USA, followed by another loss to arch-rivals India. Pakistan did manage a win over Canada but a washout in the game between USA and Ireland meant, the Men in Green can go no further in the tournament.

The 35-year old all-rounder, who came out of retirement for the T20 World Cup 2024 bats for a total reset in the way Pakistan play their white-ball cricket. “I’m giving my personal opinion so don’t make these the headlines. It’s all your mindset. What mindset do you want to play the game with?, Wasim told reporters before their final game against Ireland in Lauderhill.

“I personally believe that you should play fire with fire. And even if you lose, you can sit down and say to yourself that on that day we were not good enough,” he said before blaming the players’ fear of failure against big oppositions.

“The problem is our team is so good, our players are so good, that we are good enough to play any kind of cricket. We haven’t tried that but the thing is you have to try that, you have to get rid of the fear of failure. In everything – batting, bowling, fielding, you have to get rid of fear of failure,” said.

After Pakistan’s dismal show in the T20 World Cup 2024, several former cricketers are demanding change in personnel in the team. Wasim thinks otherwise and felt that changing the players in the side won’t help but change in mindset can.
“Personnel change doesn’t change anything, just changing the mindset can change a lot of things. The same ball can be hit for a six, a four, or a single, and that same ball can take a wicket and be a dot ball,” he added. “We compete with the world’s best teams. Their mindset has changed over time. We used to rule in T20 cricket. I think we have moved back a little now.

“Maybe our mindset needs a change in all three areas. I won’t say any one area. If you change the mind of the player, you can achieve things beyond your limits. The left-arm spinner also acknowledged the team’s devastating show in the T20 World Cup.

“Me personally and our team, including me, are very disappointed and sad,” he said. “And the whole public is sad that we didn’t perform well and believes we are guilty. We are more disappointed than you are. This is our profession after all. But I would also like to say that we are human beings, we can make mistakes and we also get affected by these things,” he said.