For over half a decade, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have carried the burden of Pakistan’s batting hopes throughout codecs. The pair’s partnership on the prime of the order has usually outlined Pakistan’s fortunes, however their latest hunch has drawn rising criticism. Nevertheless, on Sunday, the duo was snubbed for the upcoming Asia Cup, because the selectors proceed to maintain them away from the shortest format following repeated failures in ICC tournaments.
Former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has now questioned not solely their effectiveness but in addition their present standing as “key gamers” within the nationwide aspect.
Talking on his YouTube channel, Hafeez didn’t mince phrases whereas assessing the duo. He argued that match-winners are the one ones deserving of the “key participant” tag, and by that yardstick, Babar and Rizwan have fallen behind. “Calling them key gamers could be fallacious and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will not be Pakistan cricket’s key gamers for the time being. Key gamers are those that win matches for Pakistan,” Hafeez stated.
Hafeez went additional, pointing to different names who, in his view, have carried Pakistan’s combat within the final couple of years. “If we have a look at the previous 12 months and a half to 2 years, the gamers exhibiting constant efficiency are Salman Ali Agha, Saeem Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren’t we speaking about them? They’re the present gamers profitable matches for Pakistan,” he famous.
Babar, as soon as hailed because the staff’s most dependable batter, has endured a lean part throughout codecs, whereas Rizwan’s struggles have been simply as pronounced. Their dip in kind has coincided with Pakistan’s patchy file in key assignments.
Hafeez believes each senior batters should re-establish themselves, fairly than be handled as untouchables. “I believe Babar and Rizwan have to be involved about their positions within the staff. They should show themselves pretty much as good gamers first; key gamers come later. Each had been good prior to now, however now they aren’t delivering outcomes,” he remarked.
Hafeez takes purpose at bowling unit
His criticism was not restricted to the batting order. Pakistan’s tempo assault, lengthy thought to be the staff’s energy, has additionally come underneath his scanner. “The identical goes for Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, they’re additionally not giving match profitable performances for Pakistan,” Hafeez noticed.
Calling for a long-term imaginative and prescient, Hafeez urged Pakistan cricket to put money into performers who can form the following decade. “We must always give attention to gamers who can contribute for the following 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two gamers and hypes one or two others, which is fallacious. We have to speak about those that are literally performing,” he stated.
