CHRISTCHURCH (APP) – Pakistan’s skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said Friday that his team need to pick itself up after devastating defeat in a World Cup pool B match against West Indies.
“Performances like that could really dent you, but you have to pick yourself up and think about your strategies,” he said in his post-match comments.
“It was a tough day, especially after winning the toss,” he said.
“There was a little bit in the pitch, but we couldn’t really exploit it.”
As for Pakistan’s stunning slump, he added: “The guys (batsmen) up front have been struggling a bit, and that made it very difficult for us, especially on a pitch like that, with the ball seaming a bit.”
Misbah insisted it was now vital that Pakistan maintained their self-belief.
A revitalised West Indies cashed in on a sensational Pakistan batting collapse to notch their first victory of the World Cup by 150 runs at Hagley Oval.
The Caribbean cricketers scored 310-6, with 115 runs coming in a swashbuckling final 10 overs involving Lendl Simmons, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy.
Pakistan in reply crumbled to their second straight defeat when they were all out for 160, failing to recover after the top four wickets fell in the first four overs for just one run, the worst start in one-day international history.
For Pakistan, the champions in 1992 when the World Cup was last staged in Australia and New Zealand, this was a second defeat in as many pool matches following their 76-run loss to title-holders and arch-rivals India.
