(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Pakistan batter Babar Azam recently aired his concerns regarding his batting position in T20I cricket, shedding light on his discontent with being pushed down the order.
Following his relinquishment of the captaincy role for the international team, Babar found himself being asked to bat at No. 3 in T20Is, a departure from his usual opening position for Pakistan.
After a recent match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024, Babar voiced his dissatisfaction with the team management’s decision to demote him in the batting order.
“It was the Pakistan team’s demand at the time. I did that for Pakistan. If I was asked individually, I wasn’t satisfied with the decision to bat at one down position. However, I did that for Pakistan,” Babar said as quoted.
The 29-year-old emphasized that despite the change in his role, he did not feel any additional pressure, whether playing for the national team or his franchise.
Babar’s sentiments were echoed by wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who also expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to break up the successful opening partnership between him and Babar.
“You can say that it [breaking the opening pair] has hurt Pakistan. I can say that Babar bhai has a big heart. We both agreed that there is no issue. We both told the management that they can try whatever combination they want,” Rizwan asserted following Pakistan’s loss in the fourth T20I against New Zealand.
Pakistan’s recent tour to New Zealand exemplified the consequences of altering the opening pair, with the team’s struggles evident in their inability to replicate the success of the Babar-Rizwan duo.
In four out of five matches during the away New Zealand series, Pakistan experimented with different opening combinations, resulting in a highest partnership of only 33 runs for the first wicket.
Babar and Rizwan boast the record for the most 100-plus and 50-plus partnerships in T20I cricket. In 61 innings together, they have stitched together nine 100-plus and 13 50-plus partnerships in the shortest format of the game.