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'We Don't Get To Play Top Nations' - PAK Head Coach Brings An Excuse Amidst Criticism

image-loe6bh4tPakistan players in net session ahead of a World Cup game (AP Photo)

Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn attributed his team's lacklustre ICC World Cup 2023 to the lack of opportunities to lock horns with "top nations" between the major ICC events. 

Bradburn, who has seen Pakistan succumb to four consecutive defeats in the league stage after two initial wins, believes lack of opportunity to test their mettle against the best teams is a root cause of the Asian giant's inconsistency and underdevelopment as a young and inexperienced unit. 

The coach also admitted Pakistan's temporary rise to No.1 rankings in the ODI format wasn't a true reflection of the quality and depth of the Babar Azam-led side, which currently stands on the brink of elimination from the knock-outs race on Indian shores.

Set to take Bangladesh for a must-win fixture in Kolkata on Tuesday (October 31), Pakistan stand seventh in the ten-team standings with just four points and would've been under serious threat of missing out on a Champions Trophy 2025 spot if they weren't the designated spot. 


Pakistan coach calls for more ODIs vs top nations

Bradburn's point would reflect in the record books: Pakistan only faced England, Australia and India seven times in One-Day Internationals between this and the 2019 World Cup. Both of their matches against India came at the recent Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka.

Overall, Pakistan played a measly sum of 36 ODIs at a time when Babar and company have been in desperate need of opportunities to fine-tune their skill and allround game. Less than Scotland, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman and quite a few member nations. 

"Look I'm not sure where you get favourites from because there are 10 teams in this tournament, there's 150 cricketers who are the best on the planet," Bradburn told the press on Monday (October 30). 


"In terms of the ICC rankings, we know they are skewed because we don't get to play India, we don't get to play a lot of the top nations who haven't been to Pakistan of late." "We were No. 5 in April, we became No. 1 recently before the tournament, and that might be where you term the phrase favourites. But we're realistic. We have not been the best in the world as yet, so which highlights where we are in this tournament right now."


"We have no divine right to beat anyone in this tournament. We have to play quality cricket, and we have to put all three departments of our game together," he added.

On the cricketing front, Pakistan are currently playing a group game against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in a do-or-die affair for the Men in Blue. They have already lost four games on a trot, and a defeat to Bangladesh will the final nail to their hopes for reaching to semifinal of the tournament.