Pakistan’s cautious approach with the bat once again hampered their Champions Trophy fixture against India, as Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq opted for a long-term strategy. Mohammad Rizwan’s men showed little inspiration from the other teams in the competition, sticking to a slow-burn approach on a seaming Dubai wicket.
In the opening six overs against India, Pakistan played 28 dot balls, equaling the record they had previously set against New Zealand in their first match of the Champions Trophy 2025. The sluggish scoring rate once again highlighted Pakistan’s struggles in accelerating early, putting pressure on their middle order to compensate later in the innings.
Pakistan’s misery was compounded by the dismissals of Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq, leaving the team at 47/2 at the time of writing. The slow start was once again attributed to the absence of Fakhar Zaman. The intent-driven left-hander was replaced by Imam-ul-Haq, who showed signs of rust due to his lack of international cricket since 2023 before being run out for 10 off 26 balls.
While the team aimed to preserve wickets, the lack of early momentum could pose challenges as they look to set up a competitive total. The question now remains whether Pakistan can recover from their sluggish start in the coming overs or if this conservative approach will prove costly in yet another high-stakes Champions Trophy encounter.
With the middle-order already exposed, Rizwan and company have a tricky job at hand at salvaging this contest.
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