Is Babar Azam key to Pakistan's success in the ICC World Cup 2023?

[MenInG]

Food for thought?
No brainer?
Not True!

 

[TeymurBlake]

He's imperative to Pakistan's batting & leadership. But one man can't guide you to a world cup, you need a team. Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar & Agha being the experience middle order need to support him & the bowlers need to turn up.

This will require consistency which Pakistan doesn't have unfortunately.

 

[MenInG]

Problem is our batters just look at Babar to play around him.

And he is not able to win the game on his own.

Catch-22

 

[hassan918]

Sure, he will be the key to Pakistan success in the upcoming world cup but our bowling in the second powerplay should also be very important in the success of our team.

 

[RidiculousMan]

No. Babar Azam is the whole door. Without him (his performance), the team cannot progress forward in the World Cup. That is how important as a batter he is to the ODI team. Absolute colossal of a player in this format, in this era.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

That is what creates an extra pressure on a player who always perform.
With the bwlow par performance of most of the other players it's very unrealistic to rely only on Babar to win matches without any team support.
That is what effecting his captaincy too.

 

[Suleiman]

Not the key. He’s not that type of player that can win games single-handedly when it matters in some sort of whirlwind innings.

He’s a quiet accumulator that needs someone at the other end to take initiative.

These type of players are not the key. They are a keychain. Which is still respectable.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Yes and he is at the peak of his powers. This is going to be a legacy defining world cup for him.

 

[Mobashir]

Even tough out team isn't settled and not favorite, Babar Azam will be the most look at player in the world cup. He is on top of the world in this format for some time now.

Him batting well can make out team play better cricket.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Shahid Afridi on Babar Azam during a TV interview:

"Babar Azam ka run run karna alag cheez hai lekin Babar Azam ke score se match jeetna alag hai. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul wagera kya karte hai? Woh apne run bhi karte hai, balls bhi khelte hai aur apne team ko jita ke bhi ate hai. (Babar scoring runs and Babar scoring runs in a winning cause are two different things. Look at what Virat Kohli and KL Rahul do. They score their runs, consume deliveries and make sure they win the match for the team). I'm Babar's fan, make no mistake. We say Babar is a big player. Reaching that level is one thing and maintaining your performance once you reach that level is much more difficult. When Babar Azam walks in to bat, we should get a feeling that we will win it for us. But that feeling doesn't come. We know that he will score 50-60 but we are confident that he will win us the match,"​

 

[Mamoon]

Even tough out team isn't settled and not favorite, Babar Azam will be the most look at player in the world cup. He is on top of the world in this format for some time now.

Him batting well can make out team play better cricket.

Most look at player for Babar fans only who live in a world of their own. The delusion is hilarious.

Anyway, the bubble has burst and the reality is there for everyone to see.

The problem isn’t Babar but the fact that his fans greatly overrate his abilities.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Will babar score century today?

 

[mominsaigol]

Problem is our batters just look at Babar to play around him.

And he is not able to win the game on his own.

Catch-22

Bro our players don't try to play around babar, it's the opposite, Babar tries to play around them lol.

He bats his merry way hoping fakhar or the lower order like chacha can bat at 7 to 9 an over lol.

It's always been that way if the side even has semi decent bowling. Even yesterday he waited for sodhi and Mitchell to bowl to attack .

He was ducking under Boult, Satner and southee

 

[Kianig89]

Bro our players don't try to play around babar, it's the opposite, Babar tries to play around them lol.

He bats his merry way hoping fakhar or the lower order like chacha can bat at 7 to 9 an over lol.

It's always been that way if the side even has semi decent bowling. Even yesterday he waited for sodhi and Mitchell to bowl to attack .

He was ducking under Boult, Satner and southee

This is called intelligent cricket unlike hapless slogging where you end up 25/3

 

[mominsaigol]

This is called intelligent cricket unlike hapless slogging where you end up 25/3

Intelligent cricket is finding bad balls and punishing them for boundaries, and rotating strike on good length deliveries like Williamson does and kohli does.

Not slowing down for 50's and being a tool.

 

[Kianig89]

Intelligent cricket is finding bad balls and punishing them for boundaries, and rotating strike on good length deliveries like Williamson does and kohli does.

Not slowing down for 50's and being a tool.

Have you watched last game Babar complimented Fakhar

 

[mominsaigol]

Have you watched last game Babar complimented Fakhar

He did not. He waited until sodhi and Mitchell came to bowl.

He was going at under a 100 sr and max just taking singles and hoping for falhar to do everything.

If rohit was striking like fakhar which he has in the past

Kohli, Rahul, Gill, they'd all strike at 100+ Sr and compliment rohit.

And no they wouldn't mindlessly slog, only sky would do that lol. They'd all compliment and hit to take pressure off rohit and make sure he isn't the only one doing the striking and taking the burden

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Unless he wants to be remembered as a minnow basher, if he is truly mentally capable and a genuine world class batsman, he will power the team through. Can he ?!.

Someone will have to step up when Fakhar doesn't fire.

Pakistan won by 21 runs, 20 came in the penultimate over yesterday from Fakhar!


Babar was strangling the team

 

[PakPremi]

He did not. He waited until sodhi and Mitchell came to bowl.

He was going at under a 100 sr and max just taking singles and hoping for falhar to do everything.

If rohit was striking like fakhar which he has in the past

Kohli, Rahul, Gill, they'd all strike at 100+ Sr and compliment rohit.

And no they wouldn't mindlessly slog, only sky would do that lol. They'd all compliment and hit to take pressure off rohit and make sure he isn't the only one doing the striking and taking the burden

Actually Babar hit couple of boundaries as soon as he came in, no?
And you would not want two batsmen going berserk at the same time so early, especially when the other batsmen was already keeping Pakistan ahead of the run rate. Babar was rightly taking a singles and handing it over to Fakhar to do big hitting as the later is much better hitter. Babr played a perfect inning providing stability for Fakhar to launch himself especially losing Abdullah too early. Imagine if Babar also vanished quickly attempting false shot triggering a collapse which so often happens with Pakistan under pressure.

 

[mominsaigol]

Actually Babar hit couple of boundaries as soon as he came in, no?
And you would not want two batsmen going berserk at the same time so early, especially when the other batsmen was already keeping Pakistan ahead of the run rate. Babar was rightly taking a singles and handing it over to Fakhar to do big hitting as the later is much better hitter. Babr played a perfect inning providing stability for Fakhar to launch himself especially losing Abdullah too early. Imagine if Babar also vanished quickly attempting false shot triggering a collapse which so often happens with Pakistan under pressure.

Brother, Look at how Gill and rohit were complimenting each other? And sa bowling is very very good, so even though wickets fell to quality pacers, they attacked from the start and sa is under huge pressure.

I Have nothing against babar but if imam was batting alongside him, Babar would have already given up the chase which he's done multiple times. Because babar only attacks beyond toothless bowlers, he lacks the ability that Williamson has which is to take singles and doubles on good length deliveries and attack if a quality bowler misses the mark. Babar would just block it.

Rohit and Gill got out today but that was due to quality bowling of rabada, Gill was complimenting rohit's masterclass by hitting 3 boundaries himself and them rotating strike.

We needed 152 in 20 overs and babar was striking at less then 100 before rain and only increased > 100 when sodhi came on who's a toothless bowler.

If rohit and Gill were facing nz bowlers they'd feast on everyone considering satner, Boult are slightly unfit and everyone else is not upto the mark atm.

At the very least he could have complimented fakhar by going at minimum 100 sr which is singles, doubles and punishing bad balls, not waiting for sodhi to come on and hope falhar does everything by himself.

 

[PakPremi]

So now look how Kohli and Iyer are playing after two wickets, even after blistering start. I will not accuse them playing selfishly but to a plan to put a score on the board rather than triggering a collapse. Babar was playing with good intent and at the end was more that 100 strike rate, and would had even scored faster had he stayed in. I the end you always need batsmen like Kohli, Smith, Root, Labu to consolidate.

 

[MenInG]

Gautan Gambhir speaking on TV:


"No matter how much you praise Fakhar Zaman, it is less, because of the way he batted, but Babar Azam supported him brilliantly as well. Fakhar could bat like that because Babar was at the other end,"

"If Babar Azam had gotten out, or one or two more wickets had fallen, Fakhar Zaman might have had to go into his shell. It was an exceptional partnership. Assurity at one end and aggression at the other. Every player has his own strengths. Babar Azam cannot play like Fakhar Zaman and Fakhar cannot play like Babar. So look towards partnerships, they will win you matches,"

"So for Pakistan, if Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan have to bat freely, Babar needs to stand at one end. The next match is a must-win game for Pakistan. Babar hasn't scored a century in India thus far. If he gets set, we might get to see a century but it is more important for Pakistan to win,"

 

[PakPremi]

Exactly my point, cricket is not just bang crash wallop from ball 1 to last ball. Ken Williamson also was steady despite starting off with couple of freebie edge boundaries,and picked up momentum as game went on.

 

[PakPremi]

Funny how every bowler Pakistani batsmen scores against becomes rubbish bowler, Ish Sodhi is normally a very good bowler and so is Santner. Babar scored boundaries against both.

 

[Hitman]

So now look how Kohli and Iyer are playing after two wickets, even after blistering start. I will not accuse them playing selfishly but to a plan to put a score on the board rather than triggering a collapse. Babar was playing with good intent and at the end was more that 100 strike rate, and would had even scored faster had he stayed in. I the end you always need batsmen like Kohli, Smith, Root, Labu to consolidate.

You believe both of them would have scored at the same rate if they were chasing 400 odd?

 

[PakPremi]

You believe both of them would have scored at the same rate if they were chasing 400 odd?

No that is what I said one needs to provide stability to give assurance to other to hit out. They are different type of batsmen.

 

[kumjsr]

So now look how Kohli and Iyer are playing after two wickets, even after blistering start. I will not accuse them playing selfishly but to a plan to put a score on the board rather than triggering a collapse. Babar was playing with good intent and at the end was more that 100 strike rate, and would had even scored faster had he stayed in. I the end you always need batsmen like Kohli, Smith, Root, Labu to consolidate.

This is totally different batting condtions. This is 250 type pitch with lot of assistance to spinners.

 

[Hitman]

No that is what I said one needs to provide stability to give assurance to other to hit out. They are different type of batsmen.

Every Pakistani batsman needs to learn from Fakhar. Not his talent or skills, but his approach.

 

[mominsaigol]

So now look how Kohli and Iyer are playing after two wickets, even after blistering start. I will not accuse them playing selfishly but to a plan to put a score on the board rather than triggering a collapse. Babar was playing with good intent and at the end was more that 100 strike rate, and would had even scored faster had he stayed in. I the end you always need batsmen like Kohli, Smith, Root, Labu to consolidate.

Kohli and iyer were playing on a wicket that as soon as 10 overs ended became a rank Turner.

Shamsi was spinning like Shane Warne today lol, kohli needed to anchor.

Babar was playing against garbo bowling on flat belters and still needed sodhi and Mitchell to come in to actually attack them.

Babar has one good innings in odi In his life and that's beating nz in 2019 on a pitch similar to the one kohli played. Babar deserves praise,

But kohli sterred India on a pitch where sa who have been belting 400+ all failed.

Please don't put kohli in the same lime light as Babar when kohli chased down 28 of 8 against Pakistan, and has been an absolute chasing nightmare for oppositions.


Kohli has countless match winning innings to his name where Babar only has a total of 1. Everything else is either soft scores or minnow bashing.

Fakhar has played atg knocks for Pakistan, not Babar.

 

[Bhaijaan]

It is eventually proven that Pakistan team depends heavily on Babar Azam. They were not able to do well when he had an average World Cup.

 

[hassan918]

His performance was always going to be a key factor in Pakistan's success of failure in this World Cup. Unfortunately, he didn't have a good tournament and the team has failed to get past the group stage.

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

Now that a month or so has gone since Pakistan’s exit it’s time to discuss babar’s disappointing World Cup.

Every great batsman has a World Cup which he dominates and for many it’s usually their second World Cup. You have experience of playing in a WC, you are usually in late 20s which is the peak for a batsman and the stage is set for you.

This was babar at his peak. This was supposed to be his World Cup. But he failed

The worst thing is that despite looking scratchy he did put decent starts more often than not but never converted to a big one. And that will be something hard to forget and remain a regret.

 

[Hitman]

One thing he has proved beyond doubt in this WC, something a lot of fans have been saying all the time, when it comes to high profile tournaments or big matches, and when under a challenge, Babar is a big failure. He is an another Amla clone, a gutless, spineless accumulator with no fight or resistance.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Pretty disappointed by his performance in big tournaments. He cannot be a great player until he comes good in these tournaments. World t20 is coming, might be his redemption time.

 

[Croma]

In hindsight, the bowling attack failed collectively, the batting (except Fakhar) didnt seem aggressive enough.

But yes, a beast mode Babar might have taken Pakistan to the knockouts.