Azhar Mahmood speaking to media ahead of the final T20I game against new Zealand:
About losing the 4th T20 game and morale for the final game of the series:
“The morale dipped initially, but this is a young team, and you could see their energy and fighting spirit, even in defeat. Our responsibility is to keep them motivated because this is international cricket. Losing a series doesn’t mean we stop fighting. We represent Pakistan, and we’ll give our best to finish the series 3-2.”
About bowling performance:
“In modern T20 cricket, par scores have risen from 180 to 200, even as high as 220. Recently, we chased 200 in just 16 overs. The game has evolved, and the idea of 160 being a par score is outdated. Modern cricket demands adaptability; players now have shots like ramps and paddles. If bowlers miss their yorkers, it’s a boundary. The dynamics of the game have changed, and we must adjust accordingly.”
“Regarding Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf: If you analyze their performances in these matches, Shaheen was unlucky in the last game. He had chances in the first over, but luck wasn’t on his side. Haris has bowled well and consistently taken wickets. The game has evolved, and par scores aren’t 150-160 anymore.”
Lessons learned from these conditions:
“We need to adapt. The conditions here are different from the Asia Cup. Adjusting lengths and strategies is crucial. As a bowling unit, we haven’t clicked collectively. While one bowler performs well, others leak runs. Bowling, like batting partnerships, requires all bowlers to perform in unison to take wickets and win matches”
About his experience of coaching young players of Pakistan:
“It’s been a great experience. Player like Abrar Ahmed who is our best spinner has only played 8 T20Is. International experience comes with time. The challenges here were the bounce and pace. In Pakistan, the ball doesn’t bounce like this. We discussed as a team how to use the pace instead of fighting it. In the third T20I, we used the pace effectively, but in the last match, we tried to counter it aggressively again, which backfired. The players are learning from these experiences. For bowling, we’re analyzing which lengths work best here—whether back of length or fuller. Batters thrive on cut and pull shots here, so we need to minimize runs.”
About Playing XI for the final game:
“We’ve had discussions, and there’s a possibility of one or two changes. The final XI will be announced at the toss.”
