Pakistan’s opening batters, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been under criticism for their slow batting in the first six overs, and some former cricketers believe they should not open the innings in the format.
Former South African cricketer, Herschelle Gibbs, believes that if the all-format captain plays aggressive cricket in the World Cup, it will not only improve his strike rate but will also be effective for the national team.
Responding to a question over Twitter, Gibbs wrote, ” If Babar adds one or two more attacking options to his game his strike rate will improve and be even more effective.”
If babar adds one or two more attacking options to his game his strike rate will improve and be even more effective😉 https://t.co/8Bcv4amqdo
— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) September 16, 2022
It is worth noting that Babar and Rizwan have been consistently scoring runs in the shortest format since 2020, but their powerplay strike rates of 115.68 and 115.98, respectively, are below par.
Pakistan’s top three batters have faced roughly three-fourths of all balls faced by the team since the 2021 World Cup, which is the highest among all T20I sides. It shows that Pakistan is heavily reliant on the duo and if they don’t score quick runs, the team lands in trouble most of the time.
The Men in Green will face England in a seven-match T20I series beginning September 20 at National Stadium Karachi, followed by a tri-nation series in New Zealand before the World Cup.
