'Babar Azam captaincy, not Pakistan system, reason for failure at ICC World Cup 2023,' says Mohammad Amir

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been earning the sympathy of the Pakistan crowd while fans and experts alike largely have blamed the uncertainty of Pakistan Cricket Board management for the catastrophic failure at the ICC World Cup 2023. Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has called for a change in the mindset while blaming the Pakistan skipper.

The former Pakistan pacer, who had a controversy-marred career, reasoned that legendary Imran Khan led Pakistan to success under the same PCB system in 1992 while nothing changed with PCB when Wasim Akram led Pakistan to the 1999 World Cup final.

"What is the system? It is not a wall. Five and six people have been given the responsibility to run Pakistan cricket. A captain is also one of them," said Amir on a local TV channel. "In 1992 under Imran Khan, we won the World Cup, and the system was the same. In 1999 our team was a world-beater, who reached the finals. We won the 2009 T20 World Cup with the same system, we won the 2017 Champions Trophy under the same system."

Amir added that Babar Azam has been building the team for the past four years and felt that the current Pak captain's decision-making was questionable from team selection to benching key players during the ICC World Cup 2023.

"Babar is captain for the past four years. He has built his team on his own. Buttler is not part of our system, so why did England play so badly? Does the system in England also need a makeover? After the 2015 debacle, Morgan said I want to play this brand of cricket, I want these 25 players," he further added.

"The system remained the same, it is the captain, who changed his mindset. As long as the captain's mindset does not change, the system can do nothing. Was it the system, who told him not to play Abrar Ahmad, or bench Fakhar after the first match," Amir said.