Babar, Inzamam were given full freedom to choose World Cup 2023 squad: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board released a statement after three consecutive losses of the team which included an 8-wicket hammering against Afghanistan in the ICC World Cup 2023

Pakistan cricket team's captain Babar Azam and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given full freedom and support by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to select the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023, said PCB in a statement on Thursday, October 26.

This comes after three consecutive defeats for the team in the Cricket World Cup, the latest of which was against Afghanistan, where they were hammered by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday, October 23.

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"The PCB acknowledges the emotions and sentiments of cricket fans following the three consecutive defeats faced by the national team in the ICC World Cup 2023. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023," the PCB statement uploaded on their website read.

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PCB asks country to support the team

The statement further said that the board would, from the next time onwards, make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team's performances in the World Cup. For the moment, it asked people to support the team for the remaining games.

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"Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board's stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game," said PCB.

"The national team still has four crucial matches remaining in the round-robin stage, and the PCB is optimistic that the team will regroup, overcome the setbacks, and perform positively and effectively in the upcoming fixtures. Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board's stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game," it added.

No rift in the team

Earlier on Monday, the PCB released a statement diffusing rumours of a rift between the team members after the loss against Afghanistan. In that statement, the board said, "Contrary to rumours circulated by a certain section of the media, the PCB unequivocally assures that the team is cohesive and there is no evidence to support these unsubstantiated claims."

"The PCB is disappointed by the dissemination of this false news and emphasises the importance of upholding journalistic ethics before spreading such allegations," it added further.

With only four points from their five games, Pakistan must now win all their matches to remain in contention for the semi-final. It will be a challenging task as they face England, South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh going forward.