Was Babar Azam's decision to bowl first influenced by media hype?

[Marooned]

Afridi is only overhyped by the pak media.

You think wade will be scooping someone like bumrah and getting 18 of the over

Forget Wade. Pat Cummins smashed Bumrah for 4 6s in one over. Cricket is not all linear and predictable.

 

[Marooned]

Why this wrist slitting?

What was the expectation? Pakistani bowlers will run through Kohli and co. day in and day out?

Even the other day India wasn't bowled out for 150. India scored 266.

Pakistani fans need to realise that the other side has no halwa batters and that they too will plan and retaliate.

Pakistan has a good pace attack and the fans should be happy with their overall performance.

We are criticizing his decision to bowl 1st. See the thread topic. The decision didn't sit right with me and a majority of fans and not in hindsight. Pretty much every fan was expecting we'd bat having won the toss.

 

[Marooned]

Why is Faheem Ashraf playing? No chance to Zaman Khan or Ihsanullah?

Shadab is playing because he can bat? Like our Thakur saheb?

Rana Faheem is immortal at this point. I've lost count of the times he sneaks back into the team in any format without doing anything.

 

[Rana]

We are criticizing his decision to bowl 1st. See the thread topic. The decision didn't sit right with me and a majority of fans and not in hindsight. Pretty much every fan was expecting we'd bat having won the toss.

No. Every Babar fan was hoping we bowl first. Every true Pakistan fan would hope we bat first.

 

[Thephenom]

No, because this isn’t the first time he’s called it wrong after winning the toss

 

[Saj]

I'd be very surprised if it was just Babar's decision.

The coaching staff and senior players will surely have had a say in the decision.

 

[Bewal Express]

I'd be very surprised if it was just Babar's decision.

The coaching staff and senior players will surely have had a say in the decision.

If India were bowled out for 220, then its a great decision but as we lost so its a poor decision.

 

[cricketjoshila]

We are criticizing his decision to bowl 1st. See the thread topic. The decision didn't sit right with me and a majority of fans and not in hindsight. Pretty much every fan was expecting we'd bat having won the toss.

Batting first wouldn't have changed anything. The ball was moving in the first innings as well. Naseem beat Rohit a number of times.

Only difference was that the Indian batters attacked the pacers and didn't lose wickets.

Once the 10 overs were done the likes of Faheem Shadab Iftikhar wouldn't really make life difficult for Indians.

Right now Pakistan has a huge middle over problem. And if any pacer is off colour then its more trouble.

 

[pratiktc]

@Mamoon You are probably bang on regarding pressure on Babar to chase caused my media and the pacers hype train.

However l feel one more factor is that Kohli lives rent free in the minds of PCT. Rarely in cricket history. has any player mentally dominated a single team for so long. I do not think Babar or Pak bowlers truly believe they can defend any score against Kohli. After the MCG inns they are even more haunted by his spectre.

I do not think we will see Pak choose to bat against India till Kohli retires

 

[Slim]

Since the first game, the delusional Pakistani media have consistently peddled the narrative that Indian batsmen cannot play Shaheen, best bowling this and that.

Shaheen is a class bowler and India has a class batting lineup. Sometimes, Shaheen will dominate and sometimes, he will be dominated.

Indian batsmen have dominated Starc, Cummins, Rabada, Boult etc. and they have also been dominated by them. Same will be the story with Shaheen. He has not been sent from the heavens or possesses special skills that Indian batsmen cannot handle.

Pakistan has closed the gap over the last couple of years. India knows it and the whole world knows it. There is no need to go overboard. Unfortunately, Pakistan has suffered so much because of India over the last decade and the inferiority complex has been so strong that they cannot digest their success - or their revival - with dignity and class.

By telling everyone that India cannot play Shaheen or that they have no answer to our so-called best bowling in the world, you are putting Shaheen and the rest of the bowlers under unnecessary burden and pressure.

When Babar won the toss yesterday and shot himself in the foot by bowling first, I can't help but think that this decision was influenced by all the hype created by the media and also it was fueled by fear of what the reaction would be if Pakistan were to struggle with the bat.

Had Pakistan opted to bat first and struggled, Babar would have been ripped to shreds by the media who would have claimed that he should have trusted the guy who India cannot apparently play and the best bowling attack and how India would have been reduced to 50-4 again.

I feel for Shaheen - he will get trolled left, right and center by the Indian fans and media after this game for no fault of his. He never claimed India cannot play him. Surely, he doesn't believe that. He never did. He knows how good their batting is but it is very disappointing when your own media and fans put you in a position from where you will inevitably fall hard.

This treatment of Shaheen and Pakistani bowlers was necessary for the media and the fans to pipe it down. Best bowling this and that means nothing. Learn to digest victory and defeat with dignity and hope and pray that your team proves to be on the better team on the day.

Anyone can play anyone. It all depends on who turns up on the day. Pakistani media and fans deserve this humiliation and I hope that the players can brush this aside and forget about it tomorrow.

What an amazing post, @Mamoon. Refreshing stuff. The toss decision was an absolute disaster. Also it showed Babar has no confidence in himself and other batters. Whats the point of all those ICC rankings if you cannot even back yourself to bat first on a dry pitch!

 

[Slim]

Afridi is only overhyped by the pak media.

You think wade will be scooping someone like bumrah and getting 18 of the over

Bumrah was destroyed by Fakhar, what are you even talking about LOL? His record against Pakistan is not great either.

 

[RyanRyan10]

Bumrah was destroyed by Fakhar, what are you even talking about LOL? His record against Pakistan is not great

Fakhar scored 14 (14) in the CT final against Bumrah. His career S/R against Bumrah is 52.7.

 

[Slim]

Fakhar scored 14 (14) in the CT final against Bumrah. His career S/R against Bumrah is 52.7.

Mandela effect at play here unfortunately. I do remember Pat Cummins smashing him for 4 sixes tho!

 

[RyanRyan10]

Mandela effect at play here unfortunately. I do remember Pat Cummins smashing him for 4 sixes tho!

Stop being judgmental bhaisahab. I had only responded to your claim of Fakhar destroying Bumrah in that final and nowhere did I mention that Bumrah has never been smashed by anyone -_-

 

[MenInG]

Similar situation but Babar take decision to bat

In fact, this would have been the time bowl first given that we know there is rain in the air and no reserve day

 

[PakLFC]

Thanks for confirming that you have no brain of your own. Next the media will be telling Babar what shots to play and when to play them. I just can't see why so many Pak fans regard him so highly.

 

[Mamoon]

Similar situation but Babar take decision to bat

In fact, this would have been the time bowl first given that we know there is rain in the air and no reserve day

Number 1 bowling attack dismantled due to injuries, it seems like Babar has no faith in the backup bowlers.

 

[AAli98]

Match started late 5:30 when natural light is going artificial lights are about to take effect . In pink ball tests teams declare at that time so they get a ball (time when Ind were 36all out) Lankan captain said he was going to ball had he won toss.

I could hear the ball coming of the middle of the bat at home in Lankan innings

Don’t know why he batted first.

 

[Saj]

Yes I think he got it wrong again today.

Conditions dictated bowling first today.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Ball swings a lot more under the lights but today we didn’t have the new ball bowlers and Shaheen sprayed it alot and wasted the new ball so it wasn’t a bad decision to bat first

 

[Rana]

Babar should just concede the toss

He can’t get anything right unfortunately