In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Pakistan faced a devastating one-wicket defeat against South Africa, and a specific incident involving their captain, Babar Azam, and spinner Mohammad Nawaz grabbed the spotlight following the match.
During the 48th over, Babar Azam introduced Mohammad Nawaz to bowl. South Africa, with just one wicket remaining, required a mere five runs to secure victory. Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi managed to take a single and handed the strike to Keshav Maharaj. Maharaj then secured South Africa's fifth win in the tournament with a boundary on the leg side.
Following this crucial moment, Babar Azam expressed his frustration towards Mohammad Nawaz, and a video of their interaction quickly went viral. Notably, many former cricketers and fans criticized Azam for opting to use Nawaz when specialist Usama Mir still had two overs left to bowl.
As for Pakistan's overall performance in the tournament, they have suffered four consecutive losses after initially starting with two consecutive victories. Currently, the team has accumulated four points and will rely on favorable outcomes in their upcoming matches to have a chance at reaching the semi-finals.
In contrast, South Africa has performed impressively, topping the tournament table with ten points from five wins in six matches.