Former Pakistan cricketer turned commentator Ramiz Raja has stated that Pakistan skipper Babar Azam doesn’t feel comfortable while facing spin bowling at the start of his innings and later advised to make a comeback with a ‘hundred’.
In the ICC World Cup 2023 seven matches thus far, Babar has scored 216 runs at an average of 30.85 with three half-centuries to his name. Out of seven innings, he has got out to spinners five times after being dismissed by Colin Ackermann, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Noor Ahmad, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Adam Zampa.
Ramiz talking to Star Sports suggested Babar to play sweep shots to counter spinners on the turning track, “If you want to find fault in his batting, it’s his batting against spin upfront when he starts the innings. He is not fluent as he is when he is facing pace, said Ramiz.
I don’t know whether it’s his footwork whether it’s in his mind, or whether he doesn’t have too many options because he doesn’t play the sweep shot. On slow pitches, you need to play the sweep shot,” he added.
Babar’s struggle against spinners is a major setback for the Pakistan team in the ongoing World Cup. Ramiz feels that getting out in such a manner leads to flattering of confidence as a batter. “Every time he has been aggressive, he’s gotten out as well. Against Afghanistan, he hit a massive six and then got out just at the wrong time. So the confidence builds and it goes flat,” he stated.
“All he needs to do is work his way through to a hundred where he faces pace, spin, and feels comfortable about his role. He is not entirely out of touch, he is still middling the ball, but it’s that when he begins his innings against spin, he looks just a little bit jittery,” Ramiz added.
Pakistan with their third win of the tournament against Bangladesh by seven wickets on Tuesday have gone fifth on the points table with their semis qualification still alive.Pakistan will next face New Zealand on Saturday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.