Sikander Bakht thinks Imran Khan is responsible for Pakistan's lackluster performance

Former test cricketer Sikander Bakht came down hard on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan for banning departmental sports in the country.

The ban on departmental sports was imposed in the country during the PTI tenure at the direction of the then-prime minister Imran Khan.

The decision taken almost five years back had left hundreds of sportsmen jobless and resulted in closing down of sports sections of major departments, corporations, and autonomous bodies.

Later in 2022, Mr Shehbaz Sharif restored departmental sports across the country to “revive competition” between various teams.

Reacting to Mr Khan's policies, Bakht said that national cricket started deteriorating from the day "when New Pakistan was formed".

His anger came following the defeat of Pakistan's team to the USA in their first match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.

Pakistan were defeated by the USA by five runs in the super over thriller.

The US equalled a target of 160 runs set by the Green Shirts in the last ball of the 20th over.

During the super over, Pakistan's Mohammad Amir bowled first and conceded 18 runs with 9 extras. The USA gave Pakistan a target of 19 runs in the super over.

But the Green Shirts could only manage to score 13 runs.