The Pakistan cricket team, led by Babar Azam, has been on a relentless schedule for the past couple of months, and the fatigue is starting to show. The team faced heavy criticism after losing their first T20 World Cup 2024 match against the USA on Thursday. Poor performance with both bat and ball, combined with questionable decisions by skipper Babar Azam, contributed to their defeat.
One major reason for Pakistan’s subpar performance could be the mental and physical exhaustion of the players. While their poor performance has been widely discussed, little attention has been paid to the grueling schedule they have endured.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 began on February 17 and concluded on March 18, with matches spread across four venues: Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Karachi, where the final was held. Since March 9, all teams were stationed in Karachi. After the PSL, the players went to Kakul for military-style training from March 26 to April 8.
Following a brief break, Pakistan played a series against New Zealand in Rawalpindi and Lahore from April 18-27. This was followed by a series against Ireland in Dublin from May 10-14, which they won 2-1. Just a week later, Babar Azam’s team played against England in four different locations: Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff, and London, with two matches being washed out due to rain.
The relentless travel and continuous matches have undoubtedly taken a toll on the team, contributing to their lackluster performance against the USA.