Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan register the worst world record in the history of T20Is

[Colorblind Genius]

Interesting news.

by Staff Writer
November 6, 2022


The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in Australia has been a nightmare for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The opening pair has completely failed, leading to difficult situations for the team.

While Babar has scored just 39 runs in 5 matches, Rizwan’s tally stands at 103. Pakistan were on the verge of elimination from the tournament due to their below-par display but somehow managed to qualify for the semis.

In their last Super 12 game against Bangladesh, the duo added 57 runs in 10.3 overs, which is the lowest run rate for 50+ opening partnership in men’s T20Is (full members).

hey broke the record of Shehzad & Mukhtar.

Lowest run rate for 50+ opening partnership in men’s T20Is (full members):

5.42 – Babar & Rizwan v BAN, 2022

5.55 – Shehzad & Mukhtar v BAN, 2015

5.67 – Hope & King v ENG, 2022

6.09 – Dilshan & Mahela v PAK, 2012

 

[Kianig89]

Another low for RizBar it has came crashing down for them

 

[Mamoon]

They have been exposed in the most brutal fashion. You would feel sorry for them but they deserve it up for their arrogance and big headedness.

Both Babar and Rizwan and their apologists deserve this humiliation.

 

[Rana]

It didn’t have to hurt like this for them

If only they and PCB cared about the respect of the game first before the success of these two individuals

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Most selfish individuals in Pakistan and that's some going.

 

[moghul]

Its just a miracle Pakistan is in SF despite this pathetic opening pair. They are not scoring and also when they get out , leave asking RR too high.

Pak team has been trying different combinations since the start of WC , but not showing courage to change the opening pair, the biggest problem team is facing.

 

[Asif321]

Hadn’t it been for Harris innings I’m sure Pakistan would have made a mess of this game too

 

[Colorblind Genius]

Request to mods.
Please do not merge this thread - matter of fact, make it a sticky post for a day or two, and who knows if someone from PCB's higher up in the Think Tanks can see this and take any action in hopes to address the issue?

 

[Concerned]

Think the Pak management team are still
in a covid bubble and are oblivious to any criticism towards the opening pair.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

That's tragic. Only nation regressing though Bangladesh twice on list which is credit to their bowlers

 

[AZulfi]

Babar is being very selfish imo. Hopelessly out of nick. Timing is just not there. What if we were chasing 180 plus today? Babar needs to drop down the order snd bat at 4.

Haris should open with Rizwan in order to make the best use of power play

Won today against BD thanks to Haris and Shan.

 

[Colorblind Genius]

Overall, the team has played well enough to go 5-0. The overall team strategy seems to be good. It feels like a lot of the posters of this board are "playing for themselves", it feels like an ego issue of "just being right" not sure if this is a Pakistani problem or a pakpassion problem, but it seems like some posters would rather see the team lose just to their opinions can be "right". For the real fans, let's enjoy the ride!

Are you saying there is no room for improvement, and there is nothing wrong in the team and nothing can or should be done to enhance any weak areas?

This "ride" is actually 99% based on pure luck.

There are serious issues in the pathetic batting line - and it would be great that we do our part in an effort to wisely take steps towards plugging the holes, be it quick and dirty - but burying our heads in the sand and hoping to avoid the storm is not an ideal approach. And then you call yourself "real fan"?

 

[Zaz]

Not a great record to hold They are better than this The strategy they are using though is diabolical and needs revising quickly

You cant bat this slowly in t20is

 

[Rana]

Not a great record to hold They are better than this The strategy they are using though is diabolical and needs revising quickly

You cant bat this slowly in t20is

It’s not like they can change

They can’t

They are just not those guys.

 

[sweep_shot]

Babar seems out of form. Old fluency is missing.

Moving forward, I think Haris and Fakhar should open (left and right combination).

 

[IMMY69]

When you have two openers that Hagen been doing amazingly well over such a long period of time you almost hope that the next innings is the one that brings you back into form.
So I don't see it as being selfish...

Most cricketing pundits, players and coaches around the world will tell you just how good Babar and Rizwan are do best listen to them then our so called experts here on PP.

Having said that, Babar's form doesn't look like returning by the next game which is a massive one. If it were upto me I would open with Rizwan and Shan with Haris at number 3 and Babar at 4 or even lower if we get off to a flier.

 

[shokz1408]

Not even a run a ball for a virtual quarter final, these guys are so out of touch. What’s going to happen in semi or finals when we need to chase 150-180, match is already going to be lost when you have such starts.

 

[IMMY69]

So what's the purpose of the forum? Everyone should jump on bandwagon with you and no one should express their opinion or debate or discuss anything and "enjoy the ride" with you like a "real fan"?

I absolutely agree that there is far too much toxicity here.
Threads after threads on Rizwan and Babar, and "see I told you" statements just bring down the quality.

 

[ex-q-zit]

Note: Please post without passing judgement and personal comments on others.

 

[Zaz]

It’s not like they can change

They can’t

They are just not those guys.

Rana you know that isnt true They may not bat at 180 strike rates but they arent less than run a ball merchants either generally

Theyre better than this and need to show more intent

 

[OmaIR1]

I get these two have done great in the past and are now struggling, that's not the issue. The issue is that they aren't willing to try anything different to help the situation. At the expense of the team they are being rigid in their approach at the top and are both playin selfish. Everybody else's batting order is being shuffled but not theirs. No new tactics at the top either, just come out and tuk, regardless if chasing 130 or 200 in an effort to gain confidence/form back.

 

[kingusama92]

Babar and Rizwan's go-to shot with a free hit these days...

 

[Subhan999]

I get these two have done great in the past and are now struggling, that's not the issue. The issue is that they aren't willing to try anything different to help the situation. At the expense of the team they are being rigid in their approach at the top and are both playin selfish. Everybody else's batting order is being shuffled but not theirs. No new tactics at the top either, just come out and tuk, regardless if chasing 130 or 200 in an effort to gain confidence/form back.

Their strategy has yeilded reasonable results
- 2021 WC semifinal (undefeated in group stage)
- beat India by 10 wickets in WC
- Asia cup final
- 4-3 loss to England
- tri-series win in NZL
- semi final 2022 WC (played well enough to go 5-0, 80% win prediction in both loses, couldn't close out both games).
- InshaAllah will win this world cup

Why change our strategy mid way in a tournament? It's an unreasonable thing to ask.

 

[Suleiman]

Should PCB chairman Rameez Raja step in to forcefully change opening pair before the semis? #Wt20

We are in the semis Alhamdullilah. A lot of mocking came our way that we won’t qualify by other team fans as well as so called members with a Pakistani flag next to their name.

We’re here

But the issue remains.

Babar and Rizwan have been very VERY lucky that their pathetic shenanigans at the top of the order have been bailed out by the same middle order that has been blamed left right and center in all of our victories so far OR by the bowling attack, or a combination of both.

Pak Vs India- Middle Order stepped in and posted a defendable total even though we lost.

Pak Vs Zimbabwe- Collective batting failure

Pak Vs NL- Another close call, openers failed again.

Pak Vs SA- Middle order stepped in again, and posting a proper batting performance Vs arguably the best bowling attack of the tournament at that point, in foreign conditions. No B/C bowling attacks on a phatta track.

Pak Vs BD- Middle order stepped in once again as RizBab struggled in a halwa chase, making a mountain of a molehill. Few more overs of RizBab and who know where we would be.

Have to say bowlers did their job in all games too.

Rameez probably knows all this.

He was extra heated after the Zim loss, and would be following all the games.

Is it high time he manned up and stood up to Babar’s tyrannical decision to block the opening slots despite repeated failures? Or should we play the same combo because it’s a “winning combination”?

 

[srh]

Interesting news.

by Staff Writer
November 6, 2022


The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in Australia has been a nightmare for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The opening pair has completely failed, leading to difficult situations for the team.

While Babar has scored just 39 runs in 5 matches, Rizwan’s tally stands at 103. Pakistan were on the verge of elimination from the tournament due to their below-par display but somehow managed to qualify for the semis.

In their last Super 12 game against Bangladesh, the duo added 57 runs in 10.3 overs, which is the lowest run rate for 50+ opening partnership in men’s T20Is (full members).

hey broke the record of Shehzad & Mukhtar.

Lowest run rate for 50+ opening partnership in men’s T20Is (full members):

5.42 – Babar & Rizwan v BAN, 2022

5.55 – Shehzad & Mukhtar v BAN, 2015

5.67 – Hope & King v ENG, 2022

6.09 – Dilshan & Mahela v PAK, 2012


https://crictoday.com/cricket/news/...e-worst-world-record-in-the-history-of-t20is/

Masha Allah, another world record for Pakistan

 

[asfandyar]

This tournament has turned me into an apostate. I fooled myself into believing this was the best opening duo Pakistan ever had in T20, despite numbers telling otherwise. My faith was fortified by the ridiculous, under-performing or country-selling alternatives people used to suggest for these two.

I have now realized that if the domestic does not have a single international-level opener, you do not continue with proven liabilities, but rather test all the options until you strike oil.

 

[Mainul]

It was these 2 innings for which all the Pakistanis should be grateful. Pakistan won because of these 2. They laid the platform for a win. If Pakistan was 15 or 20 for 2 , Bangladesh would have strangled them to death.

 

[Cover Drive Six]

It was these 2 innings for which all the Pakistanis should be grateful. Pakistan won because of these 2. They laid the platform for a win. If Pakistan was 15 or 20 for 2 , Bangladesh would have strangled them to death.

Won what?
Useless bilaterals.
Lost all tournaments.

 

[Rana]

This tournament has turned me into an apostate. I fooled myself into believing this was the best opening duo Pakistan ever had in T20, despite numbers telling otherwise. My faith was fortified by the ridiculous, under-performing or country-selling alternatives people used to suggest for these two.

I have now realized that if the domestic does not have a single international-level opener, you do not continue with proven liabilities, but rather test all the options until you strike oil.

Even now if sense prevails, the only guys who should be tried and rotated as openers:

Fakhar Zaman
Sharjeel Khan
Saim Ayub
Muhammad Harris
Muhammad Aqhlaq

You can also turn Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali and Asif Ali as make shift openers in domestic cricket to see what they can offer

All of the names I have mentioned are capable of striking at 160+ in the powerplay IMO

 

[Rana]

It was these 2 innings for which all the Pakistanis should be grateful. Pakistan won because of these 2. They laid the platform for a win. If Pakistan was 15 or 20 for 2 , Bangladesh would have strangled them to death.

?

Are you underestimating Harris, Chacha, Shadab and Nawaz’s ability?

 

[rhony]

Rizwan is an ftb and a leg side hack but gotto feel for Babar. One of the best batsmen in the world and lost his form at the wrong moment. This was supposed to be his tournament in Australia. It's impossible to keep best batsmen down for long though. Even a single crisp boundary can turn things around and it could happen in the SF against NZ for Babar

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Another day another record smashed

These boys have got records on both sides of the spectrum.

 

[pakistani pride]

It was these 2 innings for which all the Pakistanis should be grateful. Pakistan won because of these 2. They laid the platform for a win. If Pakistan was 15 or 20 for 2 , Bangladesh would have strangled them to death.

LOL

Pak always, like always defeats team Bangla.

 

[Savak]

Oppositions have done their homework on the pair and have started to bowl tightly to them. These two players have not figured out a counter response.

 

[Mamoon]

Sports is a great leveler indeed. When you are arrogant beyond measure, it will come back to haunt.

For over a year, these two have become too big headed and have pretended that they are carrying the rest of the batting on their shoulders.

This sentiment has always been insinuated by the fans who have done everything except abuse the middle-order.

Even the CS has implied numerous times that the rest of the batsmen are there to fill in numbers only.

Come the World Cup, qudrat ka nizaam ensured that these two flop like no tomorrow and the rest of the batting lineup stepped up to carry these two into the semis. Their humiliation has been simply beautiful to witness.

Now they are back to square one and have to rebuild their reputation and partnership. This time, they must be more humble and grounded. No more “me me me” and “us us us”. Learn to play as a team.

This is about the team not your averages and rankings.

 

[Syed1]

I'm anti Riz-Bar as much as the next guy these days, but imagine if either of them smashes a 70-100 in the semi/final


That would be a collective slap on the face of most folks on PP.

 

[OmaIR1]

I'm anti Riz-Bar as much as the next guy these days, but imagine if either of them smashes a 70-100 in the semi/final


That would be a collective slap on the face of most folks on PP.

One good does not erase all the wrongs.

Sure we will all appreciate it and give them a pat on the back. But a fluke innings is not what we want. We want a change in batting approach all together at the top.

 

[asfandyar]

Even now if sense prevails, the only guys who should be tried and rotated as openers:

Fakhar Zaman
Sharjeel Khan
Saim Ayub
Muhammad Harris
Muhammad Aqhlaq

You can also turn Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali and Asif Ali as make shift openers in domestic cricket to see what they can offer

All of the names I have mentioned are capable of striking at 160+ in the powerplay IMO

Agree with everything except Sharjeel. He should be hired as hitting coach after making it clear that he will never represent Pakistan again as a player. The other players you have mentioned have shown potential, but are still one or more leagues below international players like SKY and Buttler.

We can also get quick and dirty by arranging competitions for hitting sixes and bowling yorkers. Forget pace or technique which are usually the criteria for these contests. Induct one or two of these blokes directly into the squad to pique interest. Approach tapeball leg-side hacks if needed.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

I'm anti Riz-Bar as much as the next guy these days, but imagine if either of them smashes a 70-100 in the semi/final


That would be a collective slap on the face of most folks on PP.

I'm sure they can achieve above 100 SR...

 

[Extra_Cover]

I'm amazed at the comments in this thread but given the level of maturity on this forum consistently falling we are bound to have trolls.

On topic yes they have struggled but you cannot write-off their success completely. Some posters thinking they are big headed and getting humiliated I just feel sorry for them as its a team game and the team is going to play a crucial semi-final game this Wednesday.

Don't write either of them off as they might have the final word in this tournament.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Its the pitches. They will be back once they get out of Australia.

 

[hitthestump]

Oppositions have done their homework on the pair and have started to bowl tightly to them. These two players have not figured out a counter response.

I do think there is a strong element of this too.

Teams would have centered their plans around Babar and Rizwan. The guys who failed or didn't play lately, like Haris Ifti and Shadab, have managed to fly under the radar where teams don't know how to bowl to them.

Teams have so many camera angles, stats and analysis available to them now. It is possible that RizBab has been 'solved' by the bowlers. We will have to wait and see.

 

[hitthestump]

I get these two have done great in the past and are now struggling, that's not the issue. The issue is that they aren't willing to try anything different to help the situation. At the expense of the team they are being rigid in their approach at the top and are both playin selfish. Everybody else's batting order is being shuffled but not theirs. No new tactics at the top either, just come out and tuk, regardless if chasing 130 or 200 in an effort to gain confidence/form back.

Agreed.

If Babar and Rizwan open against NZ and we see another horror show they will be eaten alive.

Everyone is saying they need to be seperated. If they don't listen, on their head be it.

 

[shaz619]

Its the pitches. They will be back once they get out of Australia.

If it were the pitches, why did the BD openers find it so easy. I doubt 20 overs was going to make a drastic change to conditions.

 

[Suleiman]

If it were the pitches, why did the BD openers find it so easy. I doubt 20 overs was going to make a drastic change to conditions.

It’s what my boy [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] has been stating for 20 years before he gave up exhausted after repeating himself and PCB not taking note.

It’s been proven stats wise already that Pak pitches are dead last in terms of producing bounce.

Low bounce wickets + players with ineffective techniques that prevents them from playing 360 degrees and only favor one side of the wicket. Rizwan can only score on the leg side for Eg but is at sea vs anything above titty height

Babar is the first batsman since Inzi or MoYo who was coached properly and can play all around the wicket, but he too is very weak Vs genuine bounce.

So in a way it is the pitches, but you gotta blame how we’re developing these players. If you were never a good cutter or puller of the short ball and can ride that bounce it’s very hard to learn it now against 140 kph + bowling.

Watch Litton play and then compare to RizBab in Australia.

 

[Suleiman]

Even now if sense prevails, the only guys who should be tried and rotated as openers:

Fakhar Zaman
Sharjeel Khan
Saim Ayub
Muhammad Harris
Muhammad Aqhlaq

You can also turn Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali and Asif Ali as make shift openers in domestic cricket to see what they can offer

All of the names I have mentioned are capable of striking at 160+ in the powerplay IMO

We are very scared to try new openers. Opening is the easiest job in t20s in general, and team think tanks improvise all the time in promoting aggressive middle order bats to open. Cameron Green, Rohit, even BD tried 5 different combos in the Tri series and to their credit Shanto and Litton both looked good.

If Rohit was Pakistani he would’ve faded away as yet another player PCB forced to be a #6 slogger. Dhoni promoting him up the order was a master stroke.

 

[Major]

Doesn't matter. Team is in the semis now

Posters who wanted Pakistan to fail are now finding other ways to insult the team.

The pitch was slow, it was a low target and we won.

But no rr was low rr was low.

 

[Major]

It was these 2 innings for which all the Pakistanis should be grateful. Pakistan won because of these 2. They laid the platform for a win. If Pakistan was 15 or 20 for 2 , Bangladesh would have strangled them to death.

Exactly. But had it happened, than these same people would had based the two openers.

Point is, we are in semis and few fans who didn't want us to reach semis are finding reasons to hate cause proving right is more important

 

[W63L35]

Semi-Final in Sydney: Worst Opening Pair in this World Cup vs Best Opening Pair in term of S/R.

 

[The_KING]

Their strategy has yeilded reasonable results
- 2021 WC semifinal (undefeated in group stage)

Considering that 2021 WC was in favourable conditions, we should have won that tournament. But we lost to Australia in the SF, because we were 15-20 runs short, thanks to Babar and Rizwan.

- beat India by 10 wickets in WC

For how long are some Pakistani fans going to hold on that fluke win over India?

- Asia cup final

Asia cup final that we lost to a mediocre Sri Lanka team that we should have won.

- 4-3 loss to England

4-3 loss to England C team in home conditions is a terrible result.

- tri-series win in NZL

Good result but Babar and Rizwan weren't the only reason why we won that tri series.

- semi final 2022 WC (played well enough to go 5-0, 80% win prediction in both loses, couldn't close out both games).

We got to the SF due to luck, and not on merit. And Babar and Rizwan are yet to perform in this tournament. The reason we are in the SF other than luck is our bowlers, Ifthikar, Haris and Shan.

Why change our strategy mid way in a tournament? It's an unreasonable thing to ask.

Because the current strategy is a failed one that has been badly exposed in Australia. Why not try a different strategy to give ourselves the best possible chance of winning the world cup?

 

[Champ_Pal]

Difficult conditions for openers in this WC. Not many succeeded so far.

 

[MenInG]

Doesn't matter. Team is in the semis now

Posters who wanted Pakistan to fail are now finding other ways to insult the team.

The pitch was slow, it was a low target and we won.

But no rr was low rr was low.

Problem is that Pakistan being in the SFs is against their narrative and they will do what it takes to discredit the team.

ALLAH is the best planner - take heed.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Problem is that Pakistan being in the SFs is against their narrative and they will do what it takes to discredit the team.

ALLAH is the best planner - take heed.

Pakistan is the semis inspite of RizBab partnership not because of them.


This same idotic arrogance cost in the last t20 wc semifinal where we continued to carry Hasan Ali

We all want Pakistan to win, just some of us dont care if a players ego is hurt in the process

 

[Major]

Problem is that Pakistan being in the SFs is against their narrative and they will do what it takes to discredit the team.

ALLAH is the best planner - take heed.

Exactly. The rizbab technique has worked in our favor, Australian bounce is a bit difficult and these guys want to criticized.

The reason why SA bottled the chase against NL was not having the rizbab strategy. Same pitch, batting 4th, Pakistan won it easily.

And indeed Allah is the best of planners because we were not gonna take 4 pacers nad Harris. When we lost, we made these changes and now doing well.

The team doesn't even need khushdil and asif ali, that's how good the batting has become

 

[saeedhk]

Good to see these two players being exposed. Rizwan thinks of himself as some kind of a saviour whose aim in life is to convert people while Babar is too egoistic to become a good player. Both ooze of arrogance!

 

[Usman Chadda]

The issue with Babar and Rizwan is not that they are failing to score and horribly out of knock, it’s that they are treating every game as one where they want to come back to form. It’s a tournament, you can’t do that. If both are trying to find form, who will score the important runs in the powerplay?

They are our best opening pair in ages, and established performers in international cricket, no matter how much our dumb fans don’t understand but as it should be for any player, if you are not scoring runs you have to try something different.

 

[Spitfire]

Pakistan cricket team management seems to be buying a lot into the ICCranking status of Babar and Rizwan achieved against weak opposition on batting friendly tracks.

This rigidness and stubborness will eventually be thier downfall going forward.

1992 world cup was won because Imran was willing to experiment and make bold decisions.

Right now Rizwan and Babar are being very selfish by not giving up the opening slot to better performers out of fear of losing their spots. But if they fail to fire again going forward in this tournament that would equate to cricketing treason and heads should roll.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Exactly. The rizbab technique has worked in our favor, Australian bounce is a bit difficult and these guys want to criticized.

The reason why SA bottled the chase against NL was not having the rizbab strategy. Same pitch, batting 4th, Pakistan won it easily.

And indeed Allah is the best of planners because we were not gonna take 4 pacers nad Harris. When we lost, we made these changes and now doing well.

The team doesn't even need khushdil and asif ali, that's how good the batting has become

How can you say its worked when they are the worst performing opening pair in the tournament. Even taking the likew of UAE and scotland to account?

 

[Mainul]

?

Are you underestimating Harris, Chacha, Shadab and Nawaz’s ability?

No ,I m not. But in high pressure game like this, teams choke under pressure in this kind of tricky small total chase. Pakistan did this in this tournament against Zimbabwe. We wanted early wickets to be in the game. Babar,Rizwan denied us.

 

[Energy]

Rizwan and Babar have been poor obviously no one can deny that.

If Pakistan bat second we have a real worry on our hands due to them being horribly out of touch and if they try and hit out, we'll likely be 10/2 and on the backfoot chasing anything.

I am a big supporter of both Babar and Rizwan due to their high work ethic and hope they do well. Especially if we bat first they should come out all guns blazing and play with a free mind.

 

[ChipShot]

England dropped a quality modern-day player like Jason Roy for not being in form. Roy won them the 2019 World Cup.

Eon Morgan despite being an unmatched leader in modern-day cricket who changed the landscape of English LOI cricket from 2015 onwards, said before last year's WT20 that if he does not perform, he'd drop himself. He was going through rough patch in IPL, but did well at WT20 so the need to drop himself didn't arise. (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2... has backed himself,at the Twenty20 World Cup.)

Eon Morgan leaves captaincy and international cricket just 4 months shy of WT20 this year because he thinks he is not helping the team's cause due to lack of batting form. His captaincy is far, far better than Babar, and his batting when in form can be way more destructive than Babar, but English TM did not insist on him to continue.

Back in 2009, Misbah was the number 1 T20 batsman in ICC rankings. Younis Khan benched the no 1 ranked batsman and won the World Cup.

Shamsi has been no.1 or 2 bowler in ICC rankings for best part of last two years in T20I. South Africa bench him for Maharaj because Maharaj fits the team needs better; he provides better balance due to his batting abilities.

Pakistan is a world apart. Here, we become so touchy about even changing the batting order - that by promoting one positive batsman to swap places with one of the two awfully out-of-form tuktuk anchors wasting powerplays at the top.

 

[ChipShot]

English LOI cricket got revolutionized when they dropped an anchor in Alister Cook and handed over the captaincy to the Irish import Eion Morgan, who laid the blueprint for fearless, positive cricket. Win at the very next ODI World Cup was the result.

Even if England had not won the 2019 World Cup, the fact that English team was batting with fearless approach meant that even neutral fans started loving their play and their fan following grew.

With Babar as captain, and unassertive/timid style he has to batting and captaincy, don't think many people will throng to watch our batting displays. If we do win any tournament, it would be down to great set of bowlers we have stumbled upon rather than great captaincy or Babar & his buddy Rizwan's batting.

 

[Rana]

England dropped a quality modern-day player like Jason Roy for not being in form. Roy won them the 2019 World Cup.

Eon Morgan despite being an unmatched leader in modern-day cricket who changed the landscape of English LOI cricket from 2015 onwards, said before last year's WT20 that if he does not perform, he'd drop himself. He was going through rough patch in IPL, but did well at WT20 so the need to drop himself didn't arise. (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2... has backed himself,at the Twenty20 World Cup.)

Eon Morgan leaves captaincy and international cricket just 4 months shy of WT20 this year because he thinks he is not helping the team's cause due to lack of batting form. His captaincy is far, far better than Babar, and his batting when in form can be way more destructive than Babar, but English TM did not insist on him to continue.

Back in 2009, Misbah was the number 1 T20 batsman in ICC rankings. Younis Khan benched the no 1 ranked batsman and won the World Cup.

Shamsi has been no.1 or 2 bowler in ICC rankings for best part of last two years in T20I. South Africa bench him for Maharaj because Maharaj fits the team needs better; he provides better balance due to his batting abilities.

Pakistan is a world apart. Here, we become so touchy about even changing the batting order - that by promoting one positive batsman to swap places with one of the two awfully out-of-form tuktuk anchors wasting powerplays at the top.

English LOI cricket got revolutionized when they dropped an anchor in Alister Cook and handed over the captaincy to the Irish import Eion Morgan, who laid the blueprint for fearless, positive cricket. Win at the very next ODI World Cup was the result.

Even if England had not won the 2019 World Cup, the fact that English team was batting with fearless approach meant that even neutral fans started loving their play and their fan following grew.

With Babar as captain, and unassertive/timid style he has to batting and captaincy, don't think many people will throng to watch our batting displays. If we do win any tournament, it would be down to great set of bowlers we have stumbled upon rather than great captaincy or Babar & his buddy Rizwan's batting.

People are catching on now

I’m afraid the ship has sailed. Our dishonesty to see this truth may become the reason for our downfall once again.

 

[AAli98]

Baba & Rizwan paying tribute to the 1992 team by going at 4 n over.

 

[Abdullah]

Unfair post- I will say this again.
In yesterdays game being 56-0 after 10 was better than going harder on a tough pitch and being 72-3.
So I was fine with the partnership yesterday.
These 2 have been great last 2 years- and lets hope they can find that form again. Lets not behave that openers cant fail in t20s for 3-4 games on the trot.
We need these two back to their best on Wednesday inshaAllah

 

[aukhan]

If they fail tomorrow, Pakistani awam will abuse them from the top of their lungs.

Their selfish power-play batting is already making me nervous.

 

[Stewie]

Won what?
Useless bilaterals.
Lost all tournaments.

Indians cry about "useless bilaterals" a little too much and too often. I find it quite amusing. I really dont know whats their thought process behind such attempted pseudo insults. Are they insinuating only tournaments matter? If so international tournaments are they referring to? Thanks to their board, most multilateral tournaments apart from ICC ones are finished. So surely, they are just referring to the ICC tournaments.

You are almost inclined to think they win every other world cup the way they are always jumping up and down about "useless" bilaterals and "tournaments" but its funny the last "tournament" their OWN team won was in 2011. Makes you wonder what they think of their own team then!

P.S We just did win a "tournament". I am pretty sure the recently concluded triseries against NZ and BD was a tournament. And yes Pakistan won it.

 

[Front Foot Pull]

You are almost inclined to think they win every other world cup the way they are always jumping up and down about "useless" bilaterals and "tournaments" but its funny the last "tournament" their OWN team won was in 2011. Makes you wonder what they think of their own team then!

P.S We just did win a "tournament". I am pretty sure the recently concluded triseries against NZ and BD was a tournament. And yes Pakistan won it.

India hasn't won many in the last decade but you can't just take away things like 2013 icc champions trophy and 2018 asia cup.

 

[Stewie]

India hasn't won many in the last decade but you can't just take away things like 2013 icc champions trophy and 2018 asia cup.

Pakistan also won the ICCT 2017. But Indians always make it sound like they win every other tournament and pooh pooh bilateral series wins. Its pretty pathetic. You guys are not Australia or even the West Indies who have tons of tournaments trophies in their cabinet. Yet the way some of you guys talk about tournament performances, one would think you guys are posting with tons of cups in your lap.

Thats not the case, is it?

 

[Front Foot Pull]

Pakistan also won the ICCT 2017. But Indians always make it sound like they win every other tournament and pooh pooh bilateral series wins. Its pretty pathetic. You guys are not Australia or even the West Indies who have tons of tournaments trophies in their cabinet. Yet the way some of you guys talk about tournament performances, one would think you guys are posting with tons of cups in your lap.

Thats not the case, is it?

i don't know who you are talking about but i have seen many fellow indian fans who belittle our bilateral wins and troll our lack of ICC trophies. india has the best W/L in bilateral matches for last 10 years in ALL the formats and no one is even close. and yet india is trolled for lack of trophies, let alone pakistan whose bilateral W/L isn't even in top 5 in that period in tests and ODIs.
I guess one can understand fans' frustration when teams go on winning bilaterals and fail to win trophies. Fans troll all countries not just pak.

 

[Stewie]

i don't know who you are talking about but i have seen many fellow indian fans who belittle our bilateral wins and troll our lack of ICC trophies. india has the best W/L in bilateral matches for last 10 years in ALL the formats and no one is even close. and yet india is trolled for lack of trophies, let alone pakistan whose bilateral W/L isn't even in top 5 in that period in tests and ODIs.
I guess one can understand fans' frustration when teams go on winning bilaterals and fail to win trophies. Fans troll all countries not just pak.

We still have most semi final appearances in world cups, its a better overall performance than any country in the world. We won once already. Nobody is going to win all the trophies all the time. Only the Aussies were that great.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Pakistan cricket team management seems to be buying a lot into the ICCranking status of Babar and Rizwan achieved against weak opposition on batting friendly tracks.

This rigidness and stubborness will eventually be thier downfall going forward.

1992 world cup was won because Imran was willing to experiment and make bold decisions.

Right now Rizwan and Babar are being very selfish by not giving up the opening slot to better performers out of fear of losing their spots. But if they fail to fire again going forward in this tournament that would equate to cricketing treason and heads should roll.

Its the pitches. They will be back once they get out of Australia.

Anyone has any doubts now?

A dry pitch and they are making a mockery out of the NZ team.

 

[W63L35]

Highest partnership runs in T20 World Cups......