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Can Pakistan afford to open the batting with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan?

Firebat said:
An uncharacteristically poor outing for Rizwan today, gets bowled for 21 from 23.
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Uncharacteristic? More like the actual Rizwan who's square leg and fine leg are shut off. I didn't see the innings but I would bet my house that he couldnt score those leg side hack freebies in the powerplay?
 
Rana said:
Uncharacteristic? More like the actual Rizwan who's square leg and fine leg are shut off. I didn't see the innings but I would bet my house that he couldnt score those leg side hack freebies in the powerplay?
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Batting at PSL 6 - it's the Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan show <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL6?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL6</a> <a href="https://t.co/i6GH8izgUg">pic.twitter.com/i6GH8izgUg</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1404488731101442049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mohammad Rizwan last 11 T20I innings:<br><br>Runs 619<br>Fifties 6<br>Hundreds 1<br>Average 103.17 <br>Strike rate 142.96<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1386268581982257152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I know it's hard for you to swallow, but when Rizwan misfires, it's uncharacteristic.
 
Firebat said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Batting at PSL 6 - it's the Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan show <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL6?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL6</a> <a href="https://t.co/i6GH8izgUg">pic.twitter.com/i6GH8izgUg</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1404488731101442049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mohammad Rizwan last 11 T20I innings:<br><br>Runs 619<br>Fifties 6<br>Hundreds 1<br>Average 103.17 <br>Strike rate 142.96<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1386268581982257152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I know it's hard for you to swallow, but when Rizwan misfires, it's uncharacteristic.
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Wow! An average of 103 is just unbelieveable.
 
Why are people still hating on Rizwan opening . He’s not going to score in every innings and that’s the same for any other batsman as well.

I don’t get it. We have someone who is averaging 100 in his last 11 games , and we are still finding faults . Some of us must lead really miserable lives when we can not accept that an individual is proving them wrong and doing well for his country .
 
Both Babar and Rizwan play similar type of game, only 1 of them should open, the other may come in middle order
 
I have noticed that Muhammad Rizwan holds his horses when the other batsmen is batting with good strike rate. This will always backfire if gets out early, like what happened yesterday.
 
People here really pick and choose what to remember and what to forget

3 months ago it was Babar and Rizwan batting together which helped us produce our highest run chase in T20s ( a target of 205), it is Rizwan that has ensured our series wins in Zimbabwe and South Africa, it is Rizwan that ensured that we were not whitewashed in New Zealand and Babar for all his faults is still a high quality batsmen who should not be moved anywhere or else we will see more of his flaws exposed.

Both batsmen have fully justified their positions as openers and this justification is strengthen by the fact that both are the top scorers in a low quality but all around decent league.

People saying that we need Sharjeel or Fakhar as it will help make us a "modern team" are just clutching at straws. Unlike India and England we do not have the resources nor the talent to transition into a modern team however we do have two quality players that can on their day play innings of real substance and can help ensure that we are not consistently humiliated day in and day out
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
Yea, one match against SA D
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Yeah but I don’t think anyone else in Pakistan would have replicated such a performance so take it as it is

A pathetic team will give pathetic performances against good teams, however against teams at its level, a win like that should be celebrated.

Don’t think anyone else in Pakistan would have replicated such performance.
 
How someone can have an issue with Rizwan opening after his recent form is beyond me. It just shows resentment , hatred and utter bias. Hes performed in New Zealand , in Pakistan , in South Africa . What else do you bloody want !
 
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GreenKhan said:
How someone can have an issue with Rizwan opening after his recent form is beyond me. It just shows resentment , hatred and utter bias. Hes performed in New Zealand , in Pakistan , in South Africa . What else do you bloody want !
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Certainly has worked very hard Rizwan and for me i think him and Babar or another opener are the perfect fit.

People remember you more so for your failures as oppose to your success.
 
Certainly Babar cannot open with Rizwan. Babar keeps playing match losing innings one after another
 
Abdurmirr said:
People here really pick and choose what to remember and what to forget

3 months ago it was Babar and Rizwan batting together which helped us produce our highest run chase in T20s ( a target of 205), it is Rizwan that has ensured our series wins in Zimbabwe and South Africa, it is Rizwan that ensured that we were not whitewashed in New Zealand and Babar for all his faults is still a high quality batsmen who should not be moved anywhere or else we will see more of his flaws exposed.

Both batsmen have fully justified their positions as openers and this justification is strengthen by the fact that both are the top scorers in a low quality but all around decent league.

People saying that we need Sharjeel or Fakhar as it will help make us a "modern team" are just clutching at straws. Unlike India and England we do not have the resources nor the talent to transition into a modern team however we do have two quality players that can on their day play innings of real substance and can help ensure that we are not consistently humiliated day in and day out
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I think babar should bat at 3 and rizwan opening
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
Certainly Babar cannot open with Rizwan. Babar keeps playing match losing innings one after another
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Babar should bat at 3 in psl his Strike Rate is below 100 in first 6 and it gradually increases and if i remember right over 135 after 14 overs.
 
Babar and Rizwan time and again showing why they cannot open the innings together.

It should be one of them partnered with Fakhar/ Sharjeel

Rizwan/ Babar
Fakhar/ Sharjeel
Babar/ Rizwan
Sharjeel/ Fakhar
Azam/ Maqsood
Malik/ Iftikhar
 
Sharjeel is a joke....
Can you please make a list of matches which Pakistan have won because of these so called power hitters....
Whole world knows whenever Pakistan won a match it's because of proper batsmen or bowler..
Sharjeel hits two 6's in powerplays and somehow scores 20 run from 15 to 18 balls and still you call him agressive...
 
Bad news for Rizwan - a few failures for him in Abu Dhabi.
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
Two Match losers at the top? Sorry, No
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Those 2 “match losers” are responsible for our highest run chase in T20s, are 2 of the 3 Pakistani batsmen with T20I 100s and our top performing batsmen’s across the last year and a bit.

Please tell me the brilliant match winning batsmen that will replace them
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
Two Match losers at the top? Sorry, No
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This is the logic of our fans currently i am afraid.

In the long term we would all love a hard hitting aggressive batsmen at the top. But no body stands out at the moment, failing that how many 50+ partnerships have these two participated in within the first powerplay compared to any one else who can barely make it through the powerplay.

What i still cant get my head around is babar and rizwan are currently the best 2 batsmen in PAK yet are being spoken of and dismissed like we have a whole host of batsmen ready to take their place. We do not even have a proper first xi in terms of batting yet fans are calling for the best 2 to be dropped. Incredible logic.
 
Abdurmirr said:
Those 2 “match losers” are responsible for our highest run chase in T20s, are 2 of the 3 Pakistani batsmen with T20I 100s and our top performing batsmen’s across the last year and a bit.

Please tell me the brilliant match winning batsmen that will replace them
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Against Zimbabwe, SA C and D teams.
I never said they shouldn't open, but they shouldn't together. You can't have two match losers as openers.
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
Against Zimbabwe, SA C and D teams.
I never said they shouldn't open, but they shouldn't together. You can't have two match losers as openers.
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Well these 2 “match losers” opening together as produced much better performances than your so called “match winner” Sharjeel has in his whole career.

Look in an ideal world I would also agree that one of Babar or Rizwan should open but the fact is that we have no destructive opening batsmen of quality that can produce consistent and destructive performances at the top of the order therefore it would be better to give our 2 best batsmen as many balls as possible to produce the best result possible
 
Abdurmirr said:
Well these 2 “match losers” opening together as produced much better performances than your so called “match winner” Sharjeel has in his whole career.

Look in an ideal world I would also agree that one of Babar or Rizwan should open but the fact is that we have no destructive opening batsmen of quality that can produce consistent and destructive performances at the top of the order therefore it would be better to give our 2 best batsmen as many balls as possible to produce the best result possible
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I never said Sharjeel is a match winner. But he'll never lose matches with scores like 45(37) and getting out, or playing innings like 73*(60).
 
Abdurmirr said:
Well these 2 “match losers” opening together as produced much better performances than your so called “match winner” Sharjeel has in his whole career.

Look in an ideal world I would also agree that one of Babar or Rizwan should open but the fact is that we have no destructive opening batsmen of quality that can produce consistent and destructive performances at the top of the order therefore it would be better to give our 2 best batsmen as many balls as possible to produce the best result possible
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Keep telling everyone this lie in order to further ensure Rizwan doesn’t get dropped
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
I never said Sharjeel is a match winner. But he'll never lose matches with scores like 45(37) and getting out, or playing innings like 73*(60).
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Just 2 days ago Sharjeel hit 45 (34) and got out...

If those 2 innings you've mentioned also had a Danish Aziz 13-ball 45, they wouldn't have been match-losing either.
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
I never said Sharjeel is a match winner. But he'll never lose matches with scores like 45(37) and getting out, or playing innings like 73*(60).
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Please inform me when Rizwan has played an innings like this in a match losing cause because I cannot recall any occasion. Babar however I do agree as multiple times been the root cause of a loss and I do think that maybe Fakhar could be more effective at the top but the issue with Fakhar is that he does sometimes play innings where he gets bogged down due to good bowling and can be on 5 (13) after the power play and then dismissed starlight after. This would put too much pressure on our already weak middle order so that’s why I prefer Babar and Rizwan as they might be slow but they ensure that our pathetic late order batsmen have less of an opportunity to ruin our innings
 
Firebat said:
Just 2 days ago Sharjeel hit 45 (34) and got out...

If those 2 innings you've mentioned also had a Danish Aziz 13-ball 45, they wouldn't have been match-losing either.
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If you're going to go by the scorecards and some random innings, then sorry I can't argue with you
 
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Abdurmirr said:
Please inform me when Rizwan has played an innings like this in a match losing cause because I cannot recall any occasion. Babar however I do agree as multiple times been the root cause of a loss and I do think that maybe Fakhar could be more effective at the top but the issue with Fakhar is that he does sometimes play innings where he gets bogged down due to good bowling and can be on 5 (13) after the power play and then dismissed starlight after. This would put too much pressure on our already weak middle order so that’s why I prefer Babar and Rizwan as they might be slow but they ensure that our pathetic late order batsmen have less of an opportunity to ruin our innings
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He never played any innings (apart from one or two) against top (full strength) teams, so you are not making any sense
 
Babar_Azam_fan said:
He never played any innings (apart from one or two) against top (full strength) teams, so you are not making any sense
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Yeah because he hasn’t gotten the chance too yet and further more guys like Fakhar, Sharjeel and others have played against the same opposition and performed much worse than Rizwan so what are they gonna do against top opposition.
 
Abdurmirr said:
Yeah because he hasn’t gotten the chance too yet and further more guys like Fakhar, Sharjeel and others have played against the same opposition and performed much worse than Rizwan so what are they gonna do against top opposition.
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They HAVE played much better innings
 
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Babar_Azam_fan said:
As I said earlier, I want Babar or Rizwan opening along with Fakhar/ Sharjeel, but not both
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Our middle order is weak as it is. Are you willing to drop either Babar or Rizwan. If not than they will waste balls in the middle overs and if so who are you going to add into the middle order
 
Abdurmirr said:
Our middle order is weak as it is. Are you willing to drop either Babar or Rizwan. If not than they will waste balls in the middle overs and if so who are you going to add into the middle order
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Rizwan
Fakhar/ Sharjeel
Babar
Maqsood
Iftikhar/ Hafeez (Whoever is in form)
(Some Random Name at 6 as Pakistan don't have many options)
 
If Pakistan wants to exist WC soon, then play these two match losers together as openers, it's simple
 
They’ve proven they can open together in internationals which is a different beast altogether.

I’m not saying this is the best solution but for a mediocre team like Pakistan, we don’t have rich pickings to choose from.

No point in jumping the gun after a few meaningless domestic T20 matches where some of the players are probably not playing at full intensity.
 
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Abdurmirr said:
Please name an innings played by Sharjeel in international T20s where he has won us a game chasing
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He did actually! 2016 we were chasing around 140 and him and Khalid Latin went berserk ! Remember it clearly as I was there .

But on the whole lacks consistency big time.
 
Rana said:
That we dont possess openers that can be destructive on a regular basis.

Who does btw?? Does Chris Gayle score 30 ball 80s every 4 games out of 5??
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No he doesn’t but he has one multiple games for his country and has been dropped from the team when he his lacking form or performance. Sharjeel has produced no performance to justify his position in the team. Even today he scored a very streaky 26 of 20 with 20 of those runs coming from 5 boundaries.

We have a terrible middle and late order so unless we wanna be bowled out for 120 consistently Babar and Rizwan is the best we got.
 
Lol Babar and Rizwan are so good at playing these match losing knocks.

Imagine playing the two as openers
 
I've praised Rizwan when he's deserved it, but that innings today of 30 off 30 balls was terrible.

No effort to increase the run-rate or to take any risks.

Just put pressure on his team-mates.
 
I think Rizwan badly damaged his flow and form when he fasted during test matches in Zimbabwe tour, he could not recover from it. From now on, expect one fifty out of seven or eight matches from him. Its not easy to re-gain form, look at Hafeez.

Rizwan has to make quick 20 or 30 runs in powerplay, even if he gets out in attempt of achieving that.
 
Fakhar/ Sharjeel
Rizwan/ Babar
Babar/ Rizwan
Sohaib
Hafeez/ Iftikhar
Malik (If WC in India)/ some random name
 
Fakhar is good enough to open in ODI's but not T-20's. Sharjeel is picked but not getting a game. I hope the PCB Cricket Committee really grills Misbah and Babar Azam for their thinking behind their decisions.
 
111 runs from 72 balls so far from these 2. RR of 9.25
 
The opening partnership finally ends in the 15th over.

The pair scored 150 runs from 88 balls, RR of 10.23

Not bad :)
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Highest opening partnerships in T20Is for Pakistan:<br><br>197 Babar Azam/Mohammad Rizwan v S Africa in 2021<br>150 Babar Azam/Mohammad Rizwan v England today<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvPAK</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1416104785548304386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Highest opening stands in T20Is against England:<br><br>170 Bosman/Smith in 2009<br>150 Babar/Rizwan today<br>145 Dilshan/Jayawardene in 2014<br>136 Gambhir/Sehwag in 2007<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvPAK</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1416104315534594051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan opening partnership stats in T20Is:<br><br>Innings 8<br>Runs 429<br>Average 53.62<br>Run-rate 9.36<br>Hundred Partnerships 2<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvPAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvPAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1416105785445306370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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Good innings today from both, but helped by some poor bowling, second string bowlers, flat pitch and short boundaries
 
Pakistan reached a par score because Of some excellent hitting by Maqsood, Hafeez and Fakhar. But you can argue that Babar and Rizwan laid a perfect platform for them
 
Maybe the team management has zero faith in the lower order hitters and has more faith in Fakhar, Hafeez, Azam striking well from ball one in the lower order. Interesting approach
 
Rana said:
Pakistan reached a par score because Of some excellent hitting by Maqsood, Hafeez and Fakhar. But you can argue that Babar and Rizwan laid a perfect platform for them
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Exactly. Middle order finishers cannot hope for a better platform than 150 from 14.4 overs.
 
After seeing this performance

If Pakistan can replace Azam with Sharjeel...I don’t mind this at all!
 
Shazzam said:
For me its a nightmare opening combo. Both relatively play the same.
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And that "same" is fantastic for Pakistan batting standards.

This myth has been debunked. Fakhar and Sharjeel have a SR of 125 in the PP in T20s which is the same as Babar and Rizwan's SR. But Babar and Rizwan have double the average (45+), which means you will more often get the big opening stands and acceleration, as it happened today.
If you have an opener with SR of 150+ with an average of 30+, bring it. Fakhar's stats indicate that he is more of a glorified anchor, maybe Sharjeel but he needs more time to regain fitness.
 
They are the reason Pakistan won, had they gone on their business like England, Pakistan would have got all out for 150.
 
SangasCoverDrive said:
They are the reason Pakistan won, had they gone on their business like England, Pakistan would have got all out for 150.
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Yup, for those of us who have been watching pakistan cricket since 90s, Babar Azam is a freak and Rizwan has been a freak since last year.
Pakistan has never had a LOI batsman as prolific as Babar with this type of SR. I said it. Not even Saeed or Inzi were as prolific as this guy. Babar is a freak on nature and if Babar wasnt there, Pak team would not even compete...
If Babar was playing when Inzi, Wasim, Waqar and Saqlain, Babar would be a mythical beast.
 
Babar is to Pakistan today what Sachin was to India in 96-98 before Ganguly and Dravid started rising
 
Farabi said:
Yup, for those of us who have been watching pakistan cricket since 90s, Babar Azam is a freak and Rizwan has been a freak since last year.
Pakistan has never had a LOI batsman as prolific as Babar with this type of SR. I said it. Not even Saeed or Inzi were as prolific as this guy. Babar is a freak on nature and if Babar wasnt there, Pak team would not even compete...
If Babar was playing when Inzi, Wasim, Waqar and Saqlain, Babar would be a mythical beast.
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Saeed Anwar and Inzy were class. Saeed anwar played in a different era. The rules were different and batsmen have alot more rules in their favour these days. Anwar was miles ahead of anyone at his time and I think if he played todays era he would have been even better . I don’t think that’s a fair comparison.
 
gazza619 said:
We really need to find 20 more runs in the power play.
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Teams with depth and aggressive attitude can afford these extra twenty runs in the powerplay by taking extra risks and losing some wickets in the powerplay. But with a team and batting depth like Pakistan anything above 40 for no wicket is excellent and we can win most of those games by giving less balls to the middle and lower order. Babar and Rizwan are the best we have right now and it might be annoying seeing other teams like England attacking in the powerplay but it is what it is. We have to play according to our strengths which are heavy relied upon Babar and Rizwan in T20 batting. Rest are inconsistent and in all fairness not trustable to be relied upon.
 
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Replace Azam Khan with dare I say it Shoaib Malik and you have an ok team for UAE conditions.
 
If we'd have opened with Rizwan and Babar the ODI series might have been different. They are bar far the best opening pair I've seen for Pakistan in LOI. Yeah they might be slightly slow (though not much like Imam), but if they consistently set platforms, it just allows the middle/lower order so much freedom to attack. It is frustrating seeing us getting off to poor starts every time with Fakhar and Imam, together they are just so much worse.

Wouldn't mind if they played that same top 7 in ODIs, except Haider Ali in for Azam. And maybe someone new for Hafeez (though Hafeez currently might be the best option there in ODIs too given our lack of middle order talent, I don't think Azam Khan has deserved to play). I like Fakhar middle order, think he has more potential there.
 
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