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Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has offered a striking explanation for the national team’s prolonged struggles, linking their current crisis to one of the most celebrated victories in Pakistan cricket history. Yousuf believes Pakistan’s 10-wicket demolition of India at the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai had an unexpected negative impact on the team. The comments come as Pakistan continue to endure a difficult period across formats, with questions growing over the team’s performances, selection decisions and overall direction.

Mohammad Yousuf Blames India Win For Pakistan's Downfall

Speaking to Samaa TV, Yousuf explained why he feels the 2021 victory eventually became a turning point for the wrong reasons.

"That match which we won against India in 2021, that damaged us a lot. Because after that victory, players started to think that they had achieved something big. They couldn't understand what they had to do next,"

Yousuf suggested that the team struggled to maintain the mindset required to build on a major achievement.

In his view, success needed to be followed by humility and greater effort rather than complacency.

"When you are performing well, you should stay humble. If you behave with your collar raised, and get disrespectful, problems will arrive. And a lot of them have arrived in Pakistan cricket,"  

Babar-Rizwan Heroics Still Haunt Pakistan?

The victory in Dubai remains one of Pakistan’s most memorable nights against India in T20 cricket.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan dominated the chase, guiding Pakistan to 152 without losing a wicket and ending a long wait for a World Cup victory over their arch-rivals.

Yet Yousuf now believes that the aftermath of that result contributed to a wider decline.

"Everyone in the team was trying to become the captain of the Pakistan team. The consequences are still hurting Pakistan cricket,"

Pakistan’s record against India since that famous night makes the theory particularly striking. They have won just once in their last eight T20I meetings against India, meaning seven encounters have ended in defeat.

Their ODI record is also a concern. Pakistan’s last victory over India in the format came in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, leaving them without a win in their subsequent ODI meetings.

Yousuf’s assessment therefore presents a very different perspective on Pakistan’s 2021 triumph. A result once celebrated as a landmark success has, in his opinion, become symbolic of the complacency and internal issues that later affected the team.