Shahid Afridi calls on Babar Azam to move down the order
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Pakistan skipper Babar Azam should stand aside and give Mohammad Haris his opener slot to boost their top order firepower in Wednesday’s Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, former captain Shahid Afridi said.
Pakistan, the 2009 champions, looked set to exit the competition until the Netherlands pulled off a major upset by beating South Africa on Sunday.
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar went into the tournament ranked as the top two T20 batters but neither has managed a fifty in the tournament so far.
Rizwan has scored at a run-a-ball rate while Babar, Pakistan’s premier batsman, has a strike rate of 61.90.
Both will have to up their game against last year’s runners-up New Zealand in the first semi-final in Sydney. India play England in the second semi in Adelaide on Thursday.
“Babar Azam needs to listen to suggestions,” former all-rounder Afridi told Samaa TV.
“We need to use Mohammad Haris with fielding restrictions. Babar Azam should drop to number three.”
Afridi said Pakistan’s top order should play with more intent and be as aggressive as middle order batters Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood.
“You look at Iftikhar or Shan Masood and you can see their intention in their body language, that they are looking to hit the ball. We need that kind of intention, that kind of cricket.
“What’s the point of scoring a run-a-ball 30 or 35 if you can’t finish the game having used up that many deliveries?” the 42-year-old added.
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Comments (58) Closed
Nov 07, 2022 03:06pm
42 year old??
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Nov 07, 2022 03:11pm
What was Afridi's average in T20?
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Nov 07, 2022 03:12pm
I think everyone who understand cricket is saying the same apart from Pak captain and coaches. We must utilise powerplay and Babar OR Rizwan can't do it, its not their style of batting.
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Nov 07, 2022 03:14pm
Do not listen to Shahid Afridi, he was never a game winner for Pakistan
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Nov 07, 2022 03:21pm
100% agree Baba is being selfish and should listen to what the experts are saying!!
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Nov 07, 2022 03:27pm
Too late recommendation. It is better to stock with the norm.
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Nov 07, 2022 03:32pm
Shahid Afridi is 100% rite.
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Nov 07, 2022 03:33pm
He is right. 100%
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Nov 07, 2022 03:35pm
That's what I wrote the day before.Deip him to number 4 and look how they will play.
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Nov 07, 2022 03:35pm
Babar azam is not good for t20
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Nov 07, 2022 04:05pm
Agreed!
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Nov 07, 2022 04:19pm
soo unfair to criticize him, remember Babar is that player who has made us world-beaters, how can we forget the time from 1999- till the arrival of babar, the openers used to shift the entire load onto middle order... babar and rizwan are our best batsmen, they need our support and no matter how they perform, the credibility of our batting is due to them, just show our respect and love and pray they win and win the cup.
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Nov 07, 2022 04:22pm
Finaly some one said it. Thank you
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Nov 07, 2022 04:30pm
Babar is horribly out of form as well. Playing more dots than ever. He might recover some form if drops himself to 3 or 4 without displaying ego. No body with such ego should be made captain.
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Nov 07, 2022 04:33pm
The former skipper and dashing all-rounder is 100 percent right.
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Nov 07, 2022 04:37pm
Even by Mistake, he doesn't ask his non-performing fellow NWFP Rizwan to step lower. Rizwan is not even half a batsman as Babar and he is making a suggestion to him. Harris is a fluke player, the worst-performing player whose only Qualification is that he is from NWFP. Harris has never scored anything substantial in domestic or international a Total NWFP card.
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Nov 07, 2022 04:57pm
True. Given his recent form Babar should move down the order
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Nov 07, 2022 04:57pm
Good suggestion
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Nov 07, 2022 05:06pm
Pakistan Team doesn't need to do anything by the book. It hurts them more than it benefits them.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:28pm
Sydney is a high scoring ground. Pakistan will have to score big to win the semifinal.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:29pm
Sensible advice. Babar Azam and management, please take it.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:32pm
100% agreed with Mr.Boom Boom, Babar Azam
must change the batting order and come on 3rd
or 4th in batting order, we need hit hard on NZ
in batting and bowling and fielding. Good luck.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:39pm
It will be silly, and short sighted to change the batting order at this stage. Most experts have an opinion, but they are not accountable for the team's performance.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:41pm
No advise is good enough for him as he fears he will not be able to play as many deliveries to settle in and score more runs for himself which he can play as an opener, team benefit comes later..
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Nov 07, 2022 05:52pm
100% true Babar stop being like PMLN and think about the team and not yourself.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:53pm
This has been apparent since the last so many games that this combination as openers is not working except a coupe of games where they managed to score runs. Can someone tell me how many sixes they have hit altogether in the power play overs? I’m sure that figure will be extremely low compared to other teams.
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Nov 07, 2022 05:56pm
Taking advice from Shahid Khan Afridi will be like jumping on the Axe.
He does not even think after he speaks
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Nov 07, 2022 05:59pm
Shahid Afridi has spoken the truth. He is absolutely right on
Babar Azam whose performance as a Batsman throughout T20
WC has been very disappointing.We need real Hitters to start the
Inning.This builds the morale of the other players.
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Nov 07, 2022 06:00pm
Greats do not become mediocre over a passage of few weeks. Babar is a cricketing great; have confidence in him and avoid taking knee jerk reaction
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Nov 07, 2022 06:08pm
Both are corrupt
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Nov 07, 2022 06:12pm
Rightly said that it's T20 and runs to be scored on the not consolidation by openers till 10-12 overs
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Nov 07, 2022 06:17pm
there are few anti pakistan ,waqar shoib malik and waseem akram now mr afridi joining ,why people so crazy about power play to be played aggresively infact most wickets are lost in power play by unnecessorily playing aggressive and later you dont have wickets to play with ,its india n compnay who is trying to break rizwan babar combo n supported by above who destroyed pakistan cricket
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Nov 07, 2022 06:17pm
Replace both openers .. Harris and Asif Ali .. field restrictions will help them both
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Nov 07, 2022 06:23pm
Team entered into semis because of match lost by SA not because they won against Bangladesh.
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Nov 07, 2022 06:39pm
Based on his poor performance over the last 3 months, Baber Azam should take a breather, recoup and comeback in 2023.
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Nov 07, 2022 06:44pm
Babar Azam is a good batsman but not good
Captain, he better focus on his batting and let
Rizwan or Shan be new captain for ODI and
T20 and PCB bring back Sarfraz as captain of
Test Cricket only and Harris as wicket keeper
and Fakar Alam as opener for test cricket.
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Nov 07, 2022 06:44pm
I could not agree with Shahid Afridi Babar Azam should play at No 3 or fourth in the pecking order. One can see Rizwan upset at the pathetic batting of Babar and it affects his game. As suggested Harris should go in with Rizwan, which may see a marked improvement in Rizwan’s game. Perhaps in the game against New Zealand, Nawaz be dropped and Faqar played lower down before Shadab Khan. I guess someone from PCB should intervene if the Coach does not see he is wrecking career of Babar.
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Nov 07, 2022 07:45pm
Actually Babar should rest himself for a few games. nation. do good for himself and the nation.
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Nov 07, 2022 07:49pm
Agree with Afridi, Babar needs to drop to 3 or 4 and the blast the bowling to all corners of the field.
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Nov 07, 2022 07:49pm
Maybe Afraid forgot how he used to bat! Performing once after every dozen matches. The only "all rounder" with below 20 runs batting average and less than a wicket a match. Won us 25 matches and cost us 125 matches with his senseless game approach.
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Nov 07, 2022 08:59pm
Baber will be exposed as a opener if he lets Harris play as a opener.
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Nov 07, 2022 10:11pm
Ex-Pakistani players are the worst. They will not let their team play according to their own plans. They are more interested in scoring points when the team loses. It's already high pressure playing the world cup. Let the man play and lead the way he knows. Don't second guess him at every stage.
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Nov 07, 2022 10:54pm
This should be done but only in the final if InshAllah Pakistan make it. This will be the surprise element and has potential to offset India or England.
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Nov 07, 2022 11:19pm
Afridi is right, Babar needs to change the batting order, this is a must, otherwise Southee or Boult will send him back to the dressing room in the first two overs. Our batting record in T20 power play is not encouraging. Under the circumstances Shan Masood looks like to be the ideal choice to open the innings with Rizwan. Rizwan should take the responsibility and avoid playing risky shots unless he’s 100% confident of executing it in the desired direction. Remember NZ is a very powerful side
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Nov 07, 2022 11:27pm
Babar should come at 4 after Shan, and Iftikhar at 5, shadab 6
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Nov 07, 2022 11:28pm
Whether Babar bats at 3 or 13, will not make any difference as NZ is going to score 180 to 200 which will be beyond this team even if they are allowed a 15 member batting side.
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Nov 07, 2022 11:57pm
Australian pitches are difficult for him. he is not playing the pull shots through midwicket with any authority and no one is offering him half volley to push through covers. He will need to improvise or will struggle even when he bats at #3. Maybe he can go YOLO - march down the track and get in bowlers head
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Nov 08, 2022 12:07am
Please listen to Afridi. to win we need 60,70 in power play .
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Nov 08, 2022 02:11am
Useless cricketer advising the world best ! It's like Shabaz Sharif knows how to tackle climate change.
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Nov 08, 2022 02:31am
@Sami, back in year 2000 maybe
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Nov 08, 2022 04:42am
Well this is rich, coming from the most capricious player in Pakistans cricket history. We all remember how much changing of the order mattered when Afridi was playing. When did he become the wise old sage of Pakistani cricket.
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Nov 08, 2022 05:43am
Fully agree with Shahid Afridi.
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Nov 08, 2022 05:45am
Afridi who was 21 year old for 10 year straight is absolutely right.
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Nov 08, 2022 09:08am
Absolutely right
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Nov 08, 2022 09:10am
Babar gave us Ten Wicket win against India.... remember 152-0..... Let's give him a break just for that.
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Nov 08, 2022 09:38am
We dont think that this is a best time to change batting order.
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Nov 08, 2022 10:05am
Frankly speaking these ex-players opinion from all countries opinion need to be avoided. The current players and management know what is good for the team. They cannot go thru what media says - it is good for them not to read newspapers/watch television during these times. Nothing is going to change for fans if they win this world cup or lose. At least players get money and move on in life as friends but these fans wont gain anything.
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Nov 08, 2022 10:14am
Totally agree with Shahid Afridi.
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