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Pakistani captain Babar Azam must stand aside and give Mohammad Haris his starting slot to bolster their top-order firepower in Wednesday’s 20-20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, former captain Shahid Afridi said.
Pakistan, the 2009 champions, looked set to exit the competition until the Netherlands pulled off a major upset by beating South Africa on Sunday.
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar went into the tournament as the top two T20 batsmen, but neither has scored a fifty in the tournament so far. Rizwan has scored at a run rate while Babar, Pakistan’s leading batsman, has a strike rate of 61.90.
Both will have their match against last year’s runners-up New Zealand in the first semi-final in Sydney. India will play England in the second semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday.
“Babar Azam should listen to suggestions,” the former Afridi all-rounder told Samaa TV.
“We have to use Mohammad Haris with fielding restrictions. Babar Azam should drop to number three.”
Afridi said that Pakistan’s top order needs to play with more intent and be as aggressive as middle order batsmen Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood.
“You look at Iftikhar or Shan Masood and you can see their intent in their body language, that they want to hit the ball. We need that kind of intent, that kind of cricket.
“What’s the point of scoring a ball 30 or 35 if you can’t finish the game after using up so many deliveries?” added the 42-year-old.
Pakistan, the 2009 champions, looked set to exit the competition until the Netherlands pulled off a major upset by beating South Africa on Sunday.
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar went into the tournament as the top two T20 batsmen, but neither has scored a fifty in the tournament so far. Rizwan has scored at a run rate while Babar, Pakistan’s leading batsman, has a strike rate of 61.90.
Both will have their match against last year’s runners-up New Zealand in the first semi-final in Sydney. India will play England in the second semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday.
“Babar Azam should listen to suggestions,” the former Afridi all-rounder told Samaa TV.
“We have to use Mohammad Haris with fielding restrictions. Babar Azam should drop to number three.”
Afridi said that Pakistan’s top order needs to play with more intent and be as aggressive as middle order batsmen Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood.
“You look at Iftikhar or Shan Masood and you can see their intent in their body language, that they want to hit the ball. We need that kind of intent, that kind of cricket.
“What’s the point of scoring a ball 30 or 35 if you can’t finish the game after using up so many deliveries?” added the 42-year-old.
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