After three consecutive defeats that cast a shadow over Pakistan’s world cup campaign, the Pakistan Cricket Board has asked fans to rally behind the team the rest of the way.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the board said that it acknowledges the emotions and sentiments of the team’s fans after its recent perfomance. The statement also expressed optimisim about a comeback.

“The PCB is optimistic that the team will regroup, overcome the setbacks and perform positively and effectively in the upcoming fixtures,” the statement said.

The statement also addressed the ‘media scrutiny’ on the team and captain Babar Azam and said that winning and losing is part of the game. However, it also appeared to put the blame of the performance squarely on the captain and chief selector.

“Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023,” it said.

However, while asking the fans to continue their support the team, the statement also hinted that decisions would be made based on the team’s performance in the tournament.

“Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team’s performances in the World Cup,” the statement said.

The PCB statement comes a day before Pakistan take on South Africa in the tournament, hoping to put their campaign on track after defeats against India, Australia and Afghanistan.