Pakistan’s selectors and management had to field a lot of questions on why Babar Azam had been picked for their T20 World Cup campaign and the former captain couldn’t really repay their faith in their tournament opener against the Netherlands. Babar’s form going into the tournament was dire, as he had a forgettable maiden Big Bash League (BBL) campaign with the Sydney Sixers. On Saturday, the 31-year-old scored just 15 runs in 18 balls before perishing trying to get a big shot away. Former India batter Mohammad Kaif was on-air in Hindi commentary and had a rather blunt take on the Pakistan star. “Hitting sixes isn’t his strength. You said he would hit a six. Yes, he tried, but look what happened, he got out. His style isn’t hitting sixes, it’s taking singles and doubles and trying to win matches that way” he said. It was a fullish delivery from Roelof van der Merwe and Babar advanced down the track, trying to hit it down the ground. He ended up putting it straight down the throat of the fielder at long off. Before this tournament, Babar scored 202 runs for the Sydney Sixers in 11 innings at a strike rate of just 103.06 and average of 22.44. Head coach Mike Hesson, however, said in a press conference alongside senior selector Aaqib Javed and Agha that Babar will not be opening the batting for Pakistan, which is the role he had played in for the Sixers. Babar then played for Pakistan in three T20Is at home against Australia in preparation for the T20 World Cup. He scored a 20-ball 24 in the first match and was dismissed for just two runs in the second. In the third though, he played a comparitively quicker knock, finishing unbeaten on 50 off 36 balls. Pakistan overcome Dutch scare Pakistan overall survived an almighty scare on Saturday against the Netherlands. They were chasing just 148 and At 98/2 after 11 overs, the result appeared a foregone conclusion before Pakistan chose to self-destruct in ways only they seem to find more often than not. Off the next 10 deliveries, the game turned on its head beginning with the double-wicket maiden delivered by seamer Paul van Meekeren. Off the first ball of his over, the heavily built 41-year-old Roelof van der Merwe took a low, diving catch at long-on to send back opener Sahibzada Farhan. Usman Khan followed soon in the same over before Van der Merve outfoxed Babar Azam. And by the time Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan left, it was the Netherlands match to lose. In space of 37 deliveries, Pakistan lost five wickets for 17 runs with no boundaries. It was in this juncture that Ashraf came in with Shaheen Shah Afridi for company. The asking rate, which was 5.55 before the collapse began, had now climbed to 14.50 when Ashraf took the game into his own hands, with a bit of luck. Had Max O’Dowd pouched the skier offered by the left-hander off the second ball of the 19th over, like van Meekeren said, it may have been curtains for Pakistan. For the Netherlands it was the moment that changed it all. Seamer Logan van Beek, then delivered a series of deliveries that needed to be punished and Ashraf obliged it by picking his spots on the leg-side which included a 89m six. The 19th over cost the Dutch 24 runs as Ashraf hit three sixes and a boundary, thus winning Pakistan the match.
‘Hitting sixes isn’t his strength, his style is taking singles and doubles’: Mohammad Kaif’s blunt take on Babar Azam
