Pallekele, February 28 Despite winning against Sri Lanka on Saturday, Pakistan captain Salman Agha admitted that his batsmen, except for Sahibzada Farhan, failed to perform well in the T20 World Cup.
He acknowledged that the middle order batting has been a problem for several years. Senior batsmen Babar Azam and Saim Ayub were dropped from the Super Eights match due to poor form.
"We couldn't bat well throughout the tournament. If Farhan had more support, it would have been better. The middle order has been a problem for a few years, we need to address that," Agha said at the post-match presentation.
At one point, with openers Farhan (100) and Fakhar Zaman (84) scoring aggressively, Pakistan looked set to score at least 225, but eventually ended at 212 for 8.
"We couldn't finish the way we wanted to. We batted well for 18 overs, but the opposition did well in the other two. Even 160 would have been difficult to defend," Agha said.
"(It) was always challenging after losing the toss due to the dew. If we had won the toss, it could have been different. The dew was a factor. We couldn't execute our plans. Usman (Tariq) had an off-day, it can happen."
Invited to bat, Pakistan scored a formidable 212 for 8 with Farhan and Zaman leading the way.
Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to surpass New Zealand's net run rate and qualify for the semifinals from Group 2 of the Super Eights.
However, they failed to do so as co-hosts Sri Lanka, who were already out of contention for a semifinal spot, scored 207 for 6.
Pakistan and New Zealand ended with three points each in the Super Eights stage, but the Kiwis qualified for the semifinals as the second-placed team from the group based on a better net run rate.
England have already qualified for the semifinals after winning all three of their Super Eights matches.
Farhan, who was named the Player of the Match, said he felt sad as his century could not help his team reach the semifinals.
"I wanted to do well for the team, and I actually wanted Fakhar to score a century. But the century didn't work out for the team, that's why I'm sad," he said.
"I've been feeling confident, which helps. I knew I could hit whatever was in my range. All the credit goes to domestic cricket, it has helped me develop the habit of scoring at a fast pace and scoring big."
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka, who almost snatched a win for the islanders with a stunning late onslaught of 76 not out off just 31 balls, regretted that he could have finished the game.
"It was a close game, I could have finished it. Shaheen bowled well," said Shanaka, who needed just six runs from the last two balls to win the match.
"Yes, we're disappointed. I want to apologize to the fans. Unfortunately, we suffered injuries. I hope there are no more injuries in the future. We're missing two key bowlers in (Wanindu) Hasaranga and (Matheesha) Pathirana. I hope they will return soon and do well for Sri Lankan cricket.
"Sometimes, as players, we feel pressure. It was a mistake, I'm sorry to the fans for disappointing them. We are all thankful for all the support. (Pavan) Rathnayake is consistent and uses the crease well. We also have (Dunith) Wellalage, and they (young players) are growing."
