Web desk: Against South Africa in the series decider, Babar Azam showed why he is, by far, the best batsman from Pakistan.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher for Babar Azam making a comeback into the T20I side. Pakistan suffered a string of middle-order collapses in recent years, which cost them many series, especially the Asia Cup.
Babar has been brought into the team for this very reason: to bring stability to the middle order. But the selection committee, the coach, and the captain wanted this stability at a better strike rate. A low strike rate was the main cause behind his exit from the team.
Babar, who couldn’t impress in the first two T20Is, got a chance in the 3rd T20I to shut up his haters and wow his fans, who were all there to watch him bat.
It is a rare sight in cricket: fans celebrating a wicket for the home team so they can watch their favourite batter play. This was the case in all three matches.
In the 3rd T20I, Pakistan had to chase 139 runs to clinch the series, and they lost Saim for 0 in the second over.
All eyes were on Babar to see how he plays and whether he takes his team home or succumbs under the pressure of lofty expectations.
He took a few balls to get settled, then got down to business. He played with a lot of flair. He was driving the ball crisply and got the momentum going with singles all around the ground.
It was the accumulation of dot balls that had been costing the Pakistan team the matches. Babar showed them how to play the ball softly into the gaps to accumulate ones and twos.
People who are used to seeing Babar Azam bat knew instantly that there was some change in his batting style. Babar rarely plays sweeps or slog sweeps, but he played both shots, which earned him boundaries.
But there was one shot in particular that Babar had never played before. It was against Corbin Bosch in the 14th over when Babar lifted the full and straight delivery over mid-on for a four with a straight bat. It was reminiscent of watching Virat Kohli play the same shot.
People were desperate to watch Babar’s supreme cover drives, and they got that wish fulfilled, too. He played two eye-catching drives to get to his fifty against Baartman.
It was Babar alone who held Pakistan’s batting lineup together and got them close to victory. His 47-ball 68 at a strike rate of 144.68 proved decisive in the end.
He played 9 elegant boundaries in his knock before losing his wicket trying to hit a six. This is something he needs to work on.
He must also try to close out such chases because the Pakistani team has a knack for losing matches from such winning positions.
Babar is the main batsman in the side, and it is his responsibility to close such chases. And he knows this, too, and we may see him in this role soon.
Babar Azam is back, and so is fans’ interest in Pakistan cricket. It was evident from the record-breaking crowd in Lahore for the 3rd T20I.
He must look to improve his batting because the whole team depends on it. It is time for him to lead the Pakistani team to a T20I World Cup title in the next edition.
