Aaqib Javed takes responsibility for Champions Trophy debacle

Taking the responsibility of Champions Trophy debacle, Pakistan team head coach Aaqib Javed stressed that there is a need to bring in consistency in several aspects.

Pakistan is out of the tournament that they are hosting after losing their first two matches against India and New Zealand.

“What we need is to bring in consistency, consistency in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and consistency in your every aspect. If you see in last five years so the changes which the PCB had to experience and if you don't bring in consistency and don’t let a policy to work for long term then things will not happen,” Aaqib told a news conference at Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

“We compare players but we should also compare this thing so you will know that unless your policies run for long term then you will keep busy in repairing," he said.

"I take the responsibility [for this debacle]," Aaqib was quick to add.

Asked whether he agrees that senior players are not performing, Aaqib said: "A person who is not on the ground and is not part of the team management so he needs reason why team lost. So, I would say the entire team has lost.”

“In constituting this team, we did try to form our best. Our pace-trio is one of the best. If you see Babar, what is an option for you better than Babar. We say to change the team when it loses. This is already the most inexperienced team as they have not played 400 matches together. It does not mean that the players in the squad have not performed well. Yes, it's a fact that our performance right from the tri-series has not been good,” Aaqib said.

"We say that bowlers concede 80 runs. These have been high-scoring games and bowlers who will bowl in the end definitely will concede more runs,” he said.

"If there is no Saim and Fakhar so to whom we look to. We look towards Babar and Rizwan, Shaheen, Naseem and Haris. They did not live up to expectations and so we lost. But you cannot say that these five should not be in the team onwards. You need to bring improvement and no one can stop this process,” he said.

“There should be no excuse in life. If you look at the team so before the match we are hopeful and also back the unit. But when results don’t come so more disappointed will be that player who failed to perform. Obviously, players have also been hurt and message to the nation is that you can try and make the team better. There is no other solution,” Aaqib said.

“There are lots of things involved in the India-Pakistan clash. You are hurt emotionally. Players would have been more hurt than you. We will try to develop the team. In such kind of match, you definitely miss your impact players.”

Asked whether he was satisfied with the formation of the team Aaqib said one cannot be satisfied.

“The players work hard for wins and how a person can be satisfied. The things happen under a process. The team performed in Australia and also won series against South Africa for the first time in history,” he said.

“Let's suppose Saim and Fakhar are such players who are impactful and if you miss them then you have to go for other options. This is the same team which played in Australia and South Africa and those who have been changed were injured,” he said.

“As far as Sufyan Muqeem is concerned so we had given him a match in South Africa and we had taken him on the basis of his potential. He did well in T20 in Zimbabwe and we then dropped Qasim Akram and took him to South Africa and gave him a chance in ODI. He has still not played any List A game. We had played them in the ODI in place of Abrar as we wanted that a player should play at least a game on a tour,” Aaqib said.

“Tomorrow game against Bangladesh is also important as once you get down you want to make a mark. We are looking towards tomorrow game and moving forward," Aaqib concluded.