Mohammad Amir was the best bowler for Pakistan in the match against the USA. After going for 16 runs with the new ball in the powerplay, he bounced back superbly in the death, conceding just 10 more runs in his final two overs. Amir's efforts helped Pakistan bounce back at the fag end of the match before the co-hosts forced a Super Over in the T20 World Cup match at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.
It was only logical for captain Babar Azam to go with Amir for the Super Over against the USA. However, the veteran left-arm pacer struggled against the left-handed Harmeet and bowled three wides while a sloppy fielding effort from Pakistan saw seven runs being conceded as extras in the 18-run over, which the 2009 champions failed to chase down.
ALSO READ: Azam Khan charges towards spectator, gives death stare for abusing him after dismissal for duck in USA vs Pakistan match
Amir's performance was criticised by experts following Pakistan's shock loss in the Group A encounter, but former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja jumped to his defence saying that the fast bowler, who only returned to the national team last month after four years of retirement, was given a huge responsibility and that his errors should not be over-analysed. Jadeja, in making his point, also drew comparison with India's Ravichandran Ashwin, who was roped into the T20 World Cup side in 2020 owing to Washington Sundar's injury after four years of absence from the international format.
ALSO READ: Where does USA's win over Pakistan rank among greatest upsets? A look at 5 biggest shockers in T20 World Cup history
“If you want to sit and analysis that over from Amir, you would say that he is completely out of touch. But think from his point of view. He returned after four years with presumably the captain having a say, like we did with Ravichandran Ashwin. He too returned after four years and was not playing that format. Then you give that player a responsibility like that. He (Amir) is also human. Yes there was pressure, but it was on others as well. Tell me how many runs were conceded via overthrows? There was sadness, disappointment...but we shouldn't analyse on that level,” he said in a YouTube show ‘Caught Behind’.
{{/usCountry}}“If you want to sit and analysis that over from Amir, you would say that he is completely out of touch. But think from his point of view. He returned after four years with presumably the captain having a say, like we did with Ravichandran Ashwin. He too returned after four years and was not playing that format. Then you give that player a responsibility like that. He (Amir) is also human. Yes there was pressure, but it was on others as well. Tell me how many runs were conceded via overthrows? There was sadness, disappointment...but we shouldn't analyse on that level,” he said in a YouTube show ‘Caught Behind’.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, Babar too defended Amir over the horror show in the Super Over as he credited the USA batter for showing game awareness.
"He [Amir] is an experienced bowler," Babar said at the post-match presentation. "He knows how to bowl and we were just trying to bowl according to field. But I think the US batsmen were smart. Even when the ball went to the keeper, they were running. So I think that thing was a plus point for them in the Super Over."