Better planning needed for ICC events: Pathan

PTI, Jun 14, 2020, 3:29 PM IST

Mumbai: India has all the resources but need to plan better going into the big-ticket ICC events, says former all-rounder Irfan Pathan who blamed an unsettled middle order for country’s exit from last year’s World Cup.

India last won an ICC tournament in 2013, when they lifted the Champions Trophy under the leadership of iconic Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Since then India has not clinched any ICC Trophy, making a semifinal exit from ODI World Cup, last year.

“We need to make sure that we have better planning going into the ICC trophies, going into the World Cup. If we have better planning, we have all the resources to be a champion,” Pathan, a member of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning Indian team, said on Star Sports show’ Cricket Connected’.

Pathan said India struggled to get a proper playing XI before the ODI World Cup last year as the team made a semifinal exit, losing to New Zealand.

“The only thing lacking is that we did not have a number four batsman just before the World Cup as well. We were struggling with having a proper eleven,” Pathan said.

“If you look at the recent 2019 tournament, it was bad planning. We have resources, we have players, we have fitness, we have everything to be a world champion,” added Pathan, who played 120 ODIs and 29 Tests.