[VIDEOS] "Let Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan play as T20I openers": Fakhar Zaman

[MenInG]

Fakhar Zaman in his presser after the 1st ODI:


Question asked: In ODIs your performances as an opener are very good, do you not feel that you can be more useful for Pakistan as an opener in T20Is as well?


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fakhar Zaman "I don't think I am even close to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in T20s, so they should play as openers" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> (courtesy PCB) <a href="https://t.co/q81R3vFPx7">pic.twitter.com/q81R3vFPx7</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1651866564461731843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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"Look, if I could play better than how well Rizwan and Babar are performing then why not?

"But I feel that based on my trackrecord and the way I am playing my T20 cricket, and the way Babar and Rizwan are scoring runs, I don't think I am even close to them in that way, so let them play as openers"


Question asked: Your performances in ODIs are very good so tell us in a non-diplomatic way whether you can do better in T20Is as an opener as per your potential


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fakhar Zaman "I don't think I am even close to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in T20s, so they should play as openers" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> (courtesy PCB) <a href="https://t.co/q81R3vFPx7">pic.twitter.com/q81R3vFPx7</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1651866564461731843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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"You are right to say that I have always played as an opener; And let me say that I never speak in any diplomatic way and if you feel that way then that's fine, but if you look at the team situation, do you think that Babar and Rizwan can hit spinners better? I feel I can do that better"

"If you look at our team combination then we need a left-hander in the middle in fact you need 2 of such batters"

"So based on our current team combination, putting anyone else in the opening slot will not work, especially in the way Babar and Rizwan are performing"


Other topics:

"Cricket is a game in which there is always a need for improvement. Our management is trying to shuffle the batting order to try some new things. The wicket was good, but it wasn't like where you even half-hit the ball and you get the desired result. It wasn't that easy today"

 

[MenInG]

May not be what people want to hear from Fakhar.

 

[GreenKhan]

In all fairness he’s not going to say anything else is he. Stir up conflict within the team.

 

[TheSultan]

May not also be something that is necessarily coming straight from the heart too.

He’s naturally not going to publicly disagree with the team management

 

[MenInG]

May not also be something that is necessarily coming straight from the heart too.

He’s naturally not going to publicly disagree with the team management

I agree

Problem is people will always ask such questions - what is the right answer to give?

 

[Rana]

He has been brainwashed to believe his role is best suited to him

He should bat at number 3 for Lahore Qalandars too if that’s what he thinks he is best at

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Not great to see this to be honest

 

[Major]

good answer, now everyone will come up and say he is being forced to say this.

He is only sacha if he conforms to the views of people who hate babar

 

[Kroll]

He's not going to say they're whack in a public presser and that he and another opener should be taking their place.

 

[Oneking]

good answer, now everyone will come up and say he is being forced to say this.

He is only sacha if he conforms to the views of people who hate babar

Flawed theory, with that theory why is he opening in one day, if that’s the case Babar should be opening in both one day and test.
The fact is Babar is selfish player and he is playing for stats nothing more.
Everyone's batting position is flexible except his and Rizwan.
GETTING TIRED OF EVERY PLAYER COMING OUT AND DEFENDING BABAR AND RIZWAN THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THAT ANSWER.

 

[Major]

Flawed theory, with that theory why is he opening in one day, if that’s the case Babar should be opening in both one day and test.
The fact is Babar is selfish player and he is playing for stats nothing more.
Everyone's batting position is flexible except his and Rizwan.
GETTING TIRED OF EVERY PLAYER COMING OUT AND DEFENDING BABAR AND RIZWAN THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THAT ANSWER.

its funny how haters want players to hate on babar and rizwan....

 

[Rana]

Flawed theory, with that theory why is he opening in one day, if that’s the case Babar should be opening in both one day and test.
The fact is Babar is selfish player and he is playing for stats nothing more.
Everyone's batting position is flexible except his and Rizwan.
GETTING TIRED OF EVERY PLAYER COMING OUT AND DEFENDING BABAR AND RIZWAN THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THAT ANSWER.

Of course he had to mention Babar and Rizwan

All of Lahore knows that Fakhar should be opening instead of one of these two but he has to fail at number 3 because of them. Fakhar knows it too but he isn’t a selfish guy like the openers are

Maybe ask Rizwan to answer the question as to whether Fakhar should be opening instead of him or Babar and see how they have some spiritual explanation as to why they are entitled to opening and why Fakhar is the best number 3

 

[zarak]

He has been brainwashed to believe his role is best suited to him

He should bat at number 3 for Lahore Qalandars too if that’s what he thinks he is best at

He's a grown man and and franchise and internationals are the same no? Could easily have said let's talk about odis.

He's not deluded and is well aware that he has no grounds for being an opener in T20is based on his track record.

 

[salman24]

good answer, now everyone will come up and say he is being forced to say this.

He is only sacha if he conforms to the views of people who hate babar

Yeah precisely. He didn't please the haters.

 

[IMMY69]

Simple.
Its 20 overs and you make sure you get your best payers to face as many of the overs as possible, if possible the first 10-15 overs of the innings.

Almost all the countries do this including England (Butler and/or Hales, Roy, Bairstow etc).

You take a batsmen with an average close to 50 and a strike rate of 130 at the very top every single time. Its a no brainer.

If people can say 'Rizwan did well batting at 5 or 6 in an ODI', then logically they should agree that he should open the innings in a T20.

Fakhar is right but its damn if you do and damn if you don't because people with an agenda will always look to discredit a statement/interview if it doesn't fit in with their views.

_____________
^This is the line. I've drawn it

 

[zarak]

Simple.
Its 20 overs and you make sure you get your best payers to face as many of the overs as possible, if possible the first 10-15 overs of the innings.

Almost all the countries do this including England (Butler and/or Hales, Roy, Bairstow etc).

You take a batsmen with an average close to 50 and a strike rate of 130 at the very top every single time. Its a no brainer.

If people can say 'Rizwan did well batting at 5 or 6 in an ODI', then logically they should agree that he should open the innings in a T20.

Fakhar is right but its damn if you do and damn if you don't because people with an agenda will always look to discredit a statement/interview if it doesn't fit in with their views.

_____________
^This is the line. I've drawn it

Nice post. Anyone who wants Fakhar to open in T20i cricket has no sense. The only possible argument they can have is to quote franchise performance.

That means nothing when you have not translated it to internationals. Find me an opener who can average 35+ at a strike rate of 140 and I will support Babar or Riz moving out. No need to spew this 22 average mediocrity.

 

[ads101]

Very unselfish of Fakhar.

I think deep down he probably feels like he blew it opening rather than he can’t outperform Rizwan, as like others said he does well with Lahore, and to be honest looks even worse middle order than opening in international t20s. He had 50 chances to open and didn’t cement it. Difficult to blame others. I’m sure a player of Fakhar’s calibre it didn’t sit right when he was failing game after game opening.

It took Rizwan only 3 chances as opener to score his first big score 89 against NZ. He then followed it up with a century against South Africa next game. And then has been performing ever since.

In the same way Fakhar started performing as soon as he made his debut in champions trophy. And has never let go of his ODI place pretty much since. Imam the same, made a century on debut, been performing ever since.

 

[ads101]

Nice post. Anyone who wants Fakhar to open in T20i cricket has no sense. The only possible argument they can have is to quote franchise performance.

That means nothing when you have not translated it to internationals. Find me an opener who can average 35+ at a strike rate of 140 and I will support Babar or Riz moving out. No need to spew this 22 average mediocrity.

A lot of the guys who are anti Rizwan (or/and Babar) will spew nonsense on how Fakhar was better with his then 24 average when he was opening. He wasn’t and even Fakhar doesn’t think he was.

Though I wouldn’t mind giving Fakhar a chance to open again. It’s not simply because he performed in PSL. He has improved in PSL in recent years. His performances with Lahore have been more consistent, at great SR in recent years, and he’s outperformed both Rizwan and Babar there of late. I will take him because he’s shown signs of improvement.

Would never drop Rizwan down though, wouldn’t be worth it. It would have to be Babar simply because he’s shown he can play and still perform at 3. If Babar couldn’t perform at 3, I wouldn’t even try Fakhar opening again.

 

[zarak]

A lot of the guys who are anti Rizwan (or/and Babar) will spew nonsense on how Fakhar was better with his then 24 average when he was opening. He wasn’t and even Fakhar doesn’t think he was.

Though I wouldn’t mind giving Fakhar a chance to open again. It’s not simply because he performed in PSL. He has improved in PSL in recent years. His performances with Lahore have been more consistent, at great SR in recent years, and he’s outperformed both Rizwan and Babar there of late. I will take him because he’s shown signs of improvement.

Would never drop Rizwan down though, wouldn’t be worth it. It would have to be Babar simply because he’s shown he can play and still perform at 3. If Babar couldn’t perform at 3, I wouldn’t even try Fakhar opening again.

The thing is Fakhar has been racking the same kinds of numbers in PSl year on year. But it does not translate to internationals.

It could be that one of Rizwan or Babar gets injured and then the takes his shot like Rizwan did. If he replicates his psl numbers, it is good enough for me.

 

[ads101]

The thing is Fakhar has been racking the same kinds of numbers in PSl year on year. But it does not translate to internationals.

It could be that one of Rizwan or Babar gets injured and then the takes his shot like Rizwan did. If he replicates his psl numbers, it is good enough for me.

He’s always done decent, usually averaging high 20s at a decent SR. But last few editions he’s excelled. He never really topped the charts before. Averaged 45 SR 152 in 2022. 33 SR 160 in 2023. He’s improved both sr and average in recent years, and it’s really impressive to be hitting those averages at that SR. And he wasn’t really outperforming Rizwan and Babar before, which I think is important if you want to make a push for their spot, he’s decisively been better than both last two editions, even though both Rizwan and Babar still performed.

If fakhar could average over 30 SR 150, it would be worth demoting Babar to 3. Which is why I’m open to him being given a chance as opener. Though I don’t think it would be injustice if he weren’t given it, Babar and Rizwan are very good openers that cemented their spots fair and square.

 

[GreenKhan]

Fakhar when opening in the peak of his powers was striking at 140 with an average of 30. Which is brilliant .
Once his form waned and his confidence he has never had a chance to open for Pakistan again . Which is a shame , as he has been doing the business in PSL for the last 2 years at a much more successful level than before .

 

[Farabi]

He’s always done decent, usually averaging high 20s at a decent SR. But last few editions he’s excelled. He never really topped the charts before. Averaged 45 SR 152 in 2022. 33 SR 160 in 2023. He’s improved both sr and average in recent years, and it’s really impressive to be hitting those averages at that SR. And he wasn’t really outperforming Rizwan and Babar before, which I think is important if you want to make a push for their spot, he’s decisively been better than both last two editions, even though both Rizwan and Babar still performed.

If fakhar could average over 30 SR 150, it would be worth demoting Babar to 3. Which is why I’m open to him being given a chance as opener. Though I don’t think it would be injustice if he weren’t given it, Babar and Rizwan are very good openers that cemented their spots fair and square.

This! The naysayers to Fakhar opening site his average of 22. But that data-point is irrelevant if Fakhar has improved in the last 2 years as his numbers show in the PSL. He should be slotted in as an opener.

 

[Saj]

Well he's not going to say that he should be opening in T20Is is he, despite some media wanting him to say exactly that.

 

[salman24]

Well he's not going to say that he should be opening in T20Is is he, despite some media wanting him to say exactly that.

Yeah he won't say that but he would have given some more political and neutral answer if he felt that way like "I'll play wherever required by the team and they know what is best" or whatever. However, it seems like these were genuine answers that he thought about

 

[ahmadharis1]

Smart, he's seen from Imad Wasim that if you even dare to speak up against Babar you can be inexplicably dropped

 

[Saj]

If the hierarchy want Fakhar to open in T20Is, would anyone have the guts to tell Babar that he should bat at 3 or 4?

I doubt it.

 

[topspin]

Gosh is this Babar's clique or cult?

 

[Firebat]

But I feel that based on my trackrecord and the way I am playing my T20 cricket, and the way Babar and Rizwan are scoring runs, I don't think I am even close to them in that way

Very honest and undeniable fact.

 

[Hyder]

If psl no. are the criteria then babar avg 52 while rizwan avgs 55 at sr of 145 and 142 and they topped the charts too.

 

[Energy]

Babar has a better average and SR than Fakhar in T20Is and ODIs.

Not sure what's the actual fuss on about if Fakhar said Babar is a better player than him. Why do we need to bring in conspiracy theories and invoke cult assumptions?

 

[daytrader]

He has been brainwashed to believe his role is best suited to him

He should bat at number 3 for Lahore Qalandars too if that’s what he thinks he is best at

Well Babar and Rizwan don't bat for Lahore, he's comparing himself to them.

 

[Snowflake]

This team is a cult

 

[MenInG]

Babar in response to Fakhar's comments on him and Rizwan:

“What Fakhar has said is a reflection of our team culture. We back and encourage each other. We spend time with each other a lot more than we do with our families and to become a well-bonded unit, it is important to stand by your teammates and enjoy each other's success. We back each other in an effort to get the best results for the team and for the country"

 

[MenInG]

Fakhar looking good at the moment.

 

[MenInG]

Fakhar amongst distinguished company

 

[MenInG]

Impressive from Fakhar vs NZ

 

[MenInG]

The records are coming for FZ

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fakhar Zaman becomes the quickest Pakistani to 3000 runs in ODIs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PakvNZ?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PakvNZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/6B0uUVU1gk">pic.twitter.com/6B0uUVU1gk</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1652355388761571329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

Maybe we don't understand the team dynamics that well but this pic tells a story

 

[MenInG]

Fakhar Zaman in LPL

 

[Rana]

Not the best tournament for him but his team is still there

Babar’s isn’t

 

[TheSultan]

Maybe we don't understand the team dynamics that well but this pic tells a story

This pic looks like Babar telling Fakhar to play calmly like him and Rizwan. The era of the anchor in T20 cricket. Only in Pakistan

 

[cricenjoyer]

Not the best tournament for him but his team is still there

Babar’s isn’t

Babar has a century in this tournament

Fakhar hasn't even crossed fifty. Enough said

 

[MenInG]

Last Wkt: Fakhar Zaman c Nabi b Fazalhaq Farooqi 2(4) - 3/1 in 0.4 ov.

Not good.

 

[FearlessRoar]

I think now he should return as an opener in T20Is.

 

[shamaan]

I think now he should return as an opener in T20Is.

I think Fakhar can play a floater role.Haris and Saim should be given a chance in the opening slots.

 

[mominsaigol]

So rizwan is the most humble person for saying I wanna open and play at no 4 in odi according to Pakistan fans but fakhar is a bad person for putting his team ahead and trust in whatever the management feels best?

Mashallah

 

[Sycamore]

Fakhar is not a T20 batsman. He needs 4-5 overs to get his eye in, which is not possible in T20s. If you give him 4-5 overs in middle overs then he can very destructive in final overs but it is a gamble. Just stick with Iftikhar, Shadab in middle overs for power.

 

[mominsaigol]

Fakhar is not a T20 batsman. He needs 4-5 overs to get his eye in, which is not possible in T20s. If you give him 4-5 overs in middle overs then he can very destructive in final overs but it is a gamble. Just stick with Iftikhar, Shadab in middle overs for power.

And what is rizwan? An accomplished t20 opener who attacks from ball one like he's the 2nd coming of Adam gilchrist?

 

[Rana]

Fakhar is not a T20 batsman. He needs 4-5 overs to get his eye in, which is not possible in T20s. If you give him 4-5 overs in middle overs then he can very destructive in final overs but it is a gamble. Just stick with Iftikhar, Shadab in middle overs for power.

Yeah I guess Fakhar hasn’t scored any runs in the last 2 editions of the PSL for his side to be crowned champion

 

[mominsaigol]

Yeah I guess Fakhar hasn’t scored any runs in the last 2 editions of the PSL for his side to be crowned champion

Rizwan and Babar take 20 overs to get their eye in

 

[sweep_shot]

They shouldn't open in a T20 game. They both are accumulators.

One of the openers needs to be a natural hitter (like Fakhar).

 

[Rana]

Rizwan and Babar take 20 overs to get their eye in

They get their eye in and then score a 50 after playing 40 balls

Biggest frauds in modern day cricket. If guys like Nasser Hussain love to hype these two so much, would they honestly have them opening for England?

 

[mominsaigol]

They get their eye in and then score a 50 after playing 40 balls

Biggest frauds in modern day cricket. If guys like Nasser Hussain love to hype these two so much, would they honestly have them opening for England?

I've always viewed Naz as a troll though. Idkw, just never took him seriously.

To this day I get amazed by pakistani fans not just on PP but worldwide who go to extreme lengths to love rizwan and babar and praise their batting but for some reason they Diss on everyone else. Literally everyone else including our legends like saeed anwar.

I have to fight so many people to explain why babar and rizwan aren't in a foot lucking distance of saeed .

Very weird standards tbh. I've knows SA fans who absolutely despises amla and love de villers or Even NZ fans who despite respecting Williamson have made comments about him being a thorn in regards to ravindra and Mitchell

casuals fans who dont underatand the game world wide love bazzballing and fearless players and just want shahid afridi senseless bashing, irrespective of skill level.

But pakiatani casuals who have zero understanding of the game want boring tuk tuk failures who are medicore and make you lose games? Like misbah? Rizwan? Makes no sense.

If you're gonna be a casual who isn't an analyst, then atleast choose someone entertaining . Afridi makes sense. What sense does supporting misbah or rizwan make

 

[Rana]

I've always viewed Naz as a troll though. Idkw, just never took him seriously.

To this day I get amazed by pakistani fans not just on PP but worldwide who go to extreme lengths to love rizwan and babar and praise their batting but for some reason they Diss on everyone else. Literally everyone else including our legends like saeed anwar.

I have to fight so many people to explain why babar and rizwan aren't in a foot lucking distance of saeed .

Very weird standards tbh. I've knows SA fans who absolutely despises amla and love de villers or Even NZ fans who despite respecting Williamson have made comments about him being a thorn in regards to ravindra and Mitchell

casuals fans who dont underatand the game world wide love bazzballing and fearless players and just want shahid afridi senseless bashing, irrespective of skill level.

But pakiatani casuals who have zero understanding of the game want boring tuk tuk failures who are medicore and make you lose games? Like misbah? Rizwan? Makes no sense.

If you're gonna be a casual who isn't an analyst, then atleast choose someone entertaining . Afridi makes sense. What sense does supporting misbah or rizwan make

These types of fans are yearning to be seen or known as intellectuals of cricket. I suspect they are all a bunch of nerds who don’t really have any sporting ability, most probably decent academic standards and discipline in life…but they wish for their views to be seen with that same level of discipline and decency as if those views are going to serve them well for a good rishta prospect.

They are entitled to their boring reading of the game. They will always have guys like me wrecking their false Utopia of ‘decent, academic cricket’ standards. All it takes is the truth, and the truth needs to be driven in as hard as it must, but it will always prevail.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

If we keep open with Babar and Rizwan so where will Fakhar himself fit in considering the fact he can't play in the middle order specially in in T20 cricket?

 

[Savak]

According to reports, Babar and Rizwan will be rested from the NZ T-20 series in Jan 2024. The team think tanks wants to look at other options for upgrading the team's approach in T-20's and ODI's.

 

[hitthestump]

According to reports, Babar and Rizwan will be rested from the NZ T-20 series in Jan 2024. The team think tanks wants to look at other options for upgrading the team's approach in T-20's and ODI's.

Well overdue. Babar and Rizwan played too many games as openers.

I appreciate that at the time it was necessary. The other batsmen in the side were Asif Ali, Khushdil Shah, Shan Masood and Shoaib Malik. We needed our best two to score the bulk of runs and it made sense to do so at the very top of the innings.

Despite their limitations they did well to ensure we remained a competitive t20 side throughout the past few years. Rizwan has been a revelation as a t20 opener, consistently topping charts in every series and league he plays.

The emergence of Saim and resurgence of Fakhar adds two more competent players to our batting line up. We can afford to at least try out a new partnership to see if that is more effective than what we have now given both Saim and Fakhar are naturally attacking players and capable batsmen.

Personally i like the idea of Saim and Rizwan opening and then being flexible of having either Fakhar or Babar at 3 depending on who got out. Either way we have a solid top 4 who should carry us through the important parts of the innings.