"I think it's a good pitch. I think 280-290 is a good total": Babar Azam at start of the 3rd ODI against Afghanistan

[MenInG]

Is this really the case?

Or did Babar and Co totally misread the pitch?

What's the point of making such pronouncements without understanding what he was faced with? Did he put extra pressure on likes of Fakhar and Imam by saying this?

Pakistan may still get to it but the way they are going about it doesn't look likely

 

[Firebat]

Total misread, seems like they've realised it's a lot tougher once they played a few balls.

 

[gazza619]

I dont care what pitch. You cant bat at 3/4 runs an over till the 32nd over for the lost of just 2 wickets when you bat all the way down to number 9.

This is not 1992, and we are not playing in Australia.

 

[MenInG]

All quiet after Babar Azam falls....

Courtesy of @Ali T

 

[MenInG]

Babar Azam's dismissal

 

[MenInG]

How difficult did Pakistan make it for themselves by not planning this innings?

 

[zains_rulez]

I mean wait what ? What about that uneven bounce and double pace in this pitch ?

 

[Major]

what is the par score at colombo?

 

[MenInG]

Guess in the end - it ended well for Babar but given he had been playing LPL, he should have put out realistic expectations.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Guess in the end - it ended well for Babar but given he had been playing LPL, he should have put out realistic expectations.

Wouldn't have looked good if he had said, we'll try to score 250 here.

 

[MenInG]

Wouldn't have looked good if he had said, we'll try to score 250 here.

I guess as long as it doesn't put doubts in his own batters heads, I am fine with it if he is just doing it for cameras. But even then need to be careful.

This is the kind of thing you say looking back at games.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

I guess as long as it doesn't put doubts in his own batters heads, I am fine with it if he is just doing it for cameras. But even then need to be careful.

This is the kind of thing you say looking back at games.

Yes but if he had said about posting a lower total, he would have been criticized for being defensive, not challenging himself, slow etc. It's sort of a case of damn if you do, damn if you don't for Asian cricketers sadly. The cheap tv channel experts look for this sort of stuff to run their shows on.

 

[MenInG]

Yes but if he had said about posting a lower total, he would have been criticized for being defensive, not challenging himself, slow etc. It's sort of a case of damn if you do, damn if you don't for Asian cricketers sadly. The cheap tv channel experts look for this sort of stuff to run their shows on.

He is the captain of Pakistan.

He needs to choose his words carefully.

That's all there is to it.