The star batter’s 90-ball stay at the crease yielded just 64 runs at a strike rate of 71.11, leaving Pakistan in deep trouble as they chased a daunting target of 321 runs to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against the Black Caps in Karachi.
Read Also: Watch: Shubman Gill takes a stunner in slips to give Mohammed Shami his 2nd wicket in CT 2025
Cheteshwar Pujara exposes Babar Azam’s struggles against Spin
Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara pointed out Babar’s struggles against the spin. The Indian batter criticized the right-handed batter for not using his feet, failing to play innovative shots like the sweep or reverse sweep, and getting bogged down by dot balls against the Black Caps.
The Indian cricketer felt that there was mental pressure on Babar Azam as he was focused on survival rather than match-winning intent in Karachi. Pujara has also pointed out that a strike rate of 70-80 is simply not enough in modern ODI cricket, suggesting Babar to rotate the strike and hit the odd boundaries.
Pujara signed off by saying, “You don’t need to play for your own runs. In one-day cricket, you can’t be looking to save your own wicket. Instead, you go to win the match. Babar Azam was trying not to get out. But the dot balls added pressure on the batters, who came next.”
Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha shine against New Zealand in Karachi
This high-pressure match is all set to be held at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on February 23. Notably, New Zealand recorded their third victory over Pakistan in less than two weeks, having already defeated the Men in Green twice in the recent Tri-nation ODI series.
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