We lost by playing very stupid cricket: Aqib slams Qalandars

Criticizing Lahore Qalandars for their performance on Monday night, head coach Aqib Javed said his team lost the match against Karachi Kings by playing ‘very stupid cricket’.

The Qalandars are in hot water as they have lost all three matches that they have played in Pakistan Super League (PSL) this season.

Chasing a respectable total of 160, the Qalandars were bowled out on 132 thanks to the brilliant spell by veteran Shahid Afridi and some special fielding efforts by the Kings.

In an interview after the disappointing lost, Aqib said, “With only 160 runs to chase, one can only lose the match with utmost effort or by playing very stupid cricket. Common sense is very important, no matter how good your game plan, the individual presence of mind on the pitch makes the difference against opponents when it comes to execution. When singles, doubles are needed, you can’t go to hit sixes.”

Expressing his disappointment, the former pacer of Pakistan said that the opening partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Brendon McCullum made the game 'simple' for the team.

“We had to play six in an over...how easier than that can you get?” he said. “Batsmen made choices that were not necessary. Game awareness was the factor we were lacking.”

Speaking about Umar Akmal, he said, “I will ask Umar what was his batting plan. Told him to go long and take the game forward but on the crease, if you don’t go and play in that style then there is something wrong.”

Javed said that the high-risk shots his middle-order attempted were appropriate if the team needed 12 runs per over, not when the chase was of six in an over. “One has to play like how Denesh Ramdin and Agha Salman played. You have to do placing, you have to take singles.”

The head coach said that Qalandars can’t wait for other teams to do worst bowling and batting so that they can win the rest of the matches of the tournament.