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Pakistan’s middle-overs collapse: From stability under Babar Azam to struggles under Salman Ali Agha

Cricket Warrior

Cricket Warrior

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Pakistan’s middle-overs batting used to offer some sense of control under Babar Azam.. not explosive but at least stable.

But under Agha Salman’s brief leadership against India in Dubai, that stability completely disappeared. From 83/2 to 65/4 — the drop isn’t just in numbers, it’s in (Senseless) intent, planning, and leadership.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1973077874753064962
 
That’s because one of Babar and Rizwan used to take it upon themselves to bat through and statpad having taken their time to settle in as openers first.

Add Babar and Rizwan to walk into the crease as specialist middle order bats like Tilak and Surya…and watch them become as useless as Agha and Talat.
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Pakistan’s middle-overs batting used to offer some sense of control under Babar Azam.. not explosive but at least stable.

But under Agha Salman’s brief leadership against India in Dubai, that stability completely disappeared. From 83/2 to 65/4 — the drop isn’t just in numbers, it’s in (Senseless) intent, planning, and leadership.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1973077874753064962
Click to expand...
I am surprised it is only 65/4 lol I saw these guys once in NZ. My immediate impression was this team is giong to collapse the most number of times in T20 history. That is the way they play without ability.
 
Pakistan's middle to lower order collapsed in the same manner under Babar's captaincy in the 2023 ODI WC against Bhumrah, Siraj, Kuldeep, Jadeja, Pandya after Babar and Rizwan provided a good foundation for the rest of the batting line up.

The reality is that India's bowling attack is elite and the majority of our batters, bits and pieces cricketers are just not good enough technically, skill wise against this bowling attack
 
Savak said:
Pakistan's middle to lower order collapsed in the same manner under Babar's captaincy in the 2023 ODI WC against Bhumrah, Siraj, Kuldeep, Jadeja, Pandya after Babar and Rizwan provided a good foundation for the rest of the batting line up.

The reality is that India's bowling attack is elite and the majority of our batters, bits and pieces cricketers are just not good enough technically, skill wise against this bowling attack
Click to expand...
Collapsed against SL and BD as well. THen collapsed in BD 15/5? Collapsed in NZ 14/4.
 
In this year as far as I know, 4 collapses in nz. 2 in bng.3/4 in tri series. 5 in Asia cup.out of this 4 are out of sc against a nz d team.so mostly 80 percent of time , they will collapse and some wonder has to happen or opposition should be minnow for pak to win.This is minnows stuff than issues with middle order.Lots of players may have played in those many matches .even then so many collapses means pak is in free downward spiral.
 
Yes but look at those precious 4 more runs in powerplay. That makes it all worth it.

Jokes aside we just need to find some good middle order bats. They weren’t good in the Babar/rizwan era and they aren’t now. That has always been our biggest issue.
 
Middle order worries are not new.

Hassan Nawaz and Irfan need to be given more confidence now.
 
I see a bunch of posts about Hesson having a bunch of all rounders and that being the reason for Pakistan’s failures.

Hesson’s approach is not the problem - India won the 1983 WC on the shoulders of all rounders, same with 2011 WC. Aussies have had multidimensional players in their WC winning teams.
The problem is not the all rounders but the low quality of them in the Pakistan team. Just go back a few years - Razzaq, Azhar Mahmud, hell even Hafeez and Shoaib Malik were better than what you have now. Hesson needs to recognize that and change his approach to build the team differently / appropriately.
 
Dropping Rizwan and Babar was extremely important for Pakistan Cricket as now we definitively know ke talent nai hai. They are the best you got and it's time to accept the mediocrity. Anti Riz-Babar brigade are out of touch with reality, they have haseen khwab but no plan of action. Don't buy their delusions and play your best side.
 
How is Pakistan's reserve pool (minus the duo Babar/Rizwan). No new young talents on the pipeline?
 
2021-22 Indian bowling is not 2025 Indian bowling.

Kuldeep/Axar didn't play any of the three games. Varun was there in 21 but not the same Varun.
 
Savak said:
Pakistan's middle to lower order collapsed in the same manner under Babar's captaincy in the 2023 ODI WC against Bhumrah, Siraj, Kuldeep, Jadeja, Pandya after Babar and Rizwan provided a good foundation for the rest of the batting line up.

The reality is that India's bowling attack is elite and the majority of our batters, bits and pieces cricketers are just not good enough technically, skill wise against this bowling attack
Click to expand...
2025 CT too.
 
The best thing that has happened after removing Babar and Rizwan is that others have been exposed big time.

Previously, everyone else was hiding behind those two and blaming them for their failures.

Pakistan’s middle-order was a mess during their time too, but they were given a free pass because apparently, the slow batting by those two put the middle-order under pressure. Now the excuse doesn’t exist anymore and the middle-order is still crap.

It was important for the delusional fans to get those dose of reality and come to terms with the fact that Babar and Rizwan were never the problem and neither were they holding the team back. The problem runs way deeper than that.
 
Hikaru said:
Dropping Rizwan and Babar was extremely important for Pakistan Cricket as now we definitively know ke talent nai hai. They are the best you got and it's time to accept the mediocrity. Anti Riz-Babar brigade are out of touch with reality, they have haseen khwab but no plan of action. Don't buy their delusions and play your best side.
Click to expand...
Yes, it was Rizwan and Babar smashing Bumrah and Co for 100 in 10-11 overs 🤡
 
Rana said:
Yes, it was Rizwan and Babar smashing Bumrah and Co for 100 in 10-11 overs 🤡
Click to expand...
It was, a very strong historic refrence in their favor. You need to switch sides now, these newbies are no good. Welcome Babar and Rizwan back with open hearts @Rana .

It's never too late to admit "I was wrong". :(
 
Hikaru said:
It was, a very strong historic refrence in their favor. You need to switch sides now, these newbies are no good. Welcome Babar and Rizwan back with open hearts @Rana .
Click to expand...
Pehle apni Trophy le lo Naqvi ke daftar se…

Phir dekh lenghe Kis ko welcome karna hai aur kisko nahi.
 
Rana said:
Yes, it was Rizwan and Babar smashing Bumrah and Co for 100 in 10-11 overs 🤡
Click to expand...
What is this obsession with hitting Bumrah? Are you actually satisfied with the outcome of the tournanent? Hitting Bumrah and Kuldeep for couple of sixes means nothing if you still end up losing the matches.
 
Prince of Dorne said:
What is this obsession with hitting Bumrah? Are you actually satisfied with the outcome of the tournanent? Hitting Bumrah and Kuldeep for couple of sixes means nothing if you still end up losing the matches.
Click to expand...
Why are you crying if Pakistan smashed Bumrah and Kuldeep?

Don’t take it personally. It’s just cricket!
 
Rana said:
Why are you crying if Pakistan smashed Bumrah and Kuldeep?

Don’t take it personally. It’s just cricket!
Click to expand...
***!! Why on earth would I cry when my team just beat the living daylight out of yours every Sunday for a month both on and off the ground?

Jeez, I was just being curious man as to why would you have such low expectations from your team is all. Nothing personal man
 
Prince of Dorne said:
***!! Why on earth would I cry when my team just beat the living daylight out of yours every Sunday for a month both on and off the ground?

Jeez, I was just being curious man as to why would you have such low expectations from your team is all. Nothing personal man
Click to expand...
Brother wants something else to talk about since Riz-Babar views he held for so long have shattered so spectacularly.

This everyday 'learning' is clearly proving to be a painful experience. :bbz
 
Hikaru said:
It was, a very strong historic refrence in their favor. You need to switch sides now, these newbies are no good. Welcome Babar and Rizwan back with open hearts @Rana .

It's never too late to admit "I was wrong". :(
Click to expand...
Pakistan is doing worst in odis with Babar and Rizwan in the team

@Rana has every right to support the players he has been backing
 
RyanRyan10 said:
Pakistan is doing worst in odis with Babar and Rizwan in the team

@Rana has every right to support the players he has been backing
Click to expand...
It's all relative. Rizwan and specially Babar sit a class above the current lot in batting hierarchy.

I totally get some other posters too who are disgusted to see club-level tulleybaazi when there are better options sitting on the bench. We are all entitled to our opinions ofcourse, but IF they show zero flexibility even with contrasting evidence, then it will be called out by the other side. Only natural.
 
Pakistan playing too many openers and out of form players throughout the tournament was a big blunder.
 
Pakistan fans seem to have a memory of a goldfish. Throughout 2024 people were lambasting Babar and Rizwan as we sunk to bilateral series defeat after defeat, topped off by our worst ever showing in a T20 WC, and the third worst W/L ratio in a calendar year since the inception of T20Is.

Now we're still struggling with the replacements, who come from the same crappy domestic setup, and now Babar and Rizwan are the missing pieces of the puzzle.

The saying that the best way for a Pakistani cricketer's reputation to grow is not by performances, but simply sitting on the bench, couldn't ring truer.

Nothing will change without root and branch reform of this crooked, autocratic, antiquated PCB. But yes let's carry on flaming each other about Player X, Y or Z and pretend that'll get us anywhere.
 
Mamoon said:
The best thing that has happened after removing Babar and Rizwan is that others have been exposed big time.

Previously, everyone else was hiding behind those two and blaming them for their failures.

Pakistan’s middle-order was a mess during their time too, but they were given a free pass because apparently, the slow batting by those two put the middle-order under pressure. Now the excuse doesn’t exist anymore and the middle-order is still crap.

It was important for the delusional fans to get those dose of reality and come to terms with the fact that Babar and Rizwan were never the problem and neither were they holding the team back. The problem runs way deeper than that.
Click to expand...
We don't have any solid middle order batsman.
 
Hikaru said:
It's all relative. Rizwan and specially Babar sit a class above the current lot in batting hierarchy.
Click to expand...
Class above the rest in what way?

They are proven, failed T20 openers!
 
Rana said:
That’s because one of Babar and Rizwan used to take it upon themselves to bat through and statpad having taken their time to settle in as openers first.

Add Babar and Rizwan to walk into the crease as specialist middle order bats like Tilak and Surya…and watch them become as useless as Agha and Talat.
Click to expand...
RizBabar would still be way better than Salman/Talat in that role and considering the sort of platform Farhan kept providing throughout, there's a good chance RizBabar would manage to take the team to 160+ in the final after Farhan/Fakhar fell

They're better and at this point we're arguing for argument sake

Rizwan is anyday a better batsman than "SR" Haris

and Babar with all his faults is better than Salman in the format as well because latter could not even "stat pad" throughout entire Asia Cup which would have helped the team ... Salman ended up being a massive disappointment

Yes RizBabar also have a track record of failing in big events but they weren't as bad as Salman nor Talat
 
Savak said:
Pakistan's middle to lower order collapsed in the same manner under Babar's captaincy in the 2023 ODI WC against Bhumrah, Siraj, Kuldeep, Jadeja, Pandya after Babar and Rizwan provided a good foundation for the rest of the batting line up.

The reality is that India's bowling attack is elite and the majority of our batters, bits and pieces cricketers are just not good enough technically, skill wise against this bowling attack
Click to expand...
Well, if thats the case, we’d be beating everyone else apart from India. We all know that’s not happening
 
If Babar Azam:

- actually scores runs
- bats at No. 3
- brings more match-awareness to his T20 batting

...he can really elevate this T20 team.

There might still be a strong case for his inclusion as it is.
 
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