Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez took a sly dig at the team after they crashed out of the ongoing T20 World Cup in the group stage. Pakistan failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage of the tournament after USA’s match against Ireland was washed out due to bad weather conditions in Florida. Both USA and Ireland were awarded a point each, with the former joining table-toppers India in the next round from Group A. Following Pakistan’s exit from the tournament, Hafeez took to social media and shared a cryptic post.
“Qurbani Kay Janwar Hazir Hon (Time to present the sacrificial animals),” Hafeez wrote in the post with a Pakistan cricket hastag.
Qurbani Kay Janwar Hazir Hon… ….. #PakistanCricket
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) June 14, 2024
USA’s draw against Ireland took them to five points, meaning Pakistan can only reach four points if they beat the same opponents on Sunday.
Ground staff spent hours working to dry the wet outfield at Lauderhill but shortly after the umpires had inspected conditions a huge downpour ended any hope with the field quickly under water once again.
The USA reach the last eight in their debut appearance in the T20 World Cup largely thanks to their shock win over 2009 champions Pakistan.
A USA defeat to Ireland would have handed Pakistan the chance to leapfrog into the top two when they face Ireland at the same venue on Sunday.
Instead, the early exit is a bitter disappointment for Pakistan, who were beaten finalists in the tournament two years ago.
This is the earliest Pakistan have exited T20 World Cup, having played just three games with a defeat to India and their sole victory coming against Canada.
Pakistan were knocked out in the group stage in 2014 and 2016, but on every other occasion made it to the last four of the tournament.
The spot in the last eight also means that the USA have qualified automatically for the 2026 World Cup.
“As a cricketer, you don’t want to leave home and not play cricket, you want to play but at the end of the day there was nothing that we could control,” USA stand-in skipper Aaron Jones said after the match was washed out.
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