[Watch] Babar Azam And PAK Players Celebrate First Six In Powerplay In 2023

It’s very rarely you’d see Babar Azam cheering loudly and applauding clamorous a six while sitting in the dugout or the dressing room.

Not only Babar Azam, but the entire Pakistan squad celebrated a six from Abdullah Shafique to Naveen-ul-Haq because this was the first six any Pakistani batsman has hit in the first powerplay of an ODI in 2023!

While the other teams have moved toward aggressive and attacking batting styles at the start of the innings to maximize the field restriction in the first 10 overs of a powerplay in ODI, Pakistan, and their top order has remained conservative as they look to play less risky cricket.

Coming into their World Cup 2023 match against Afghanistan on Monday in Chennai, Pakistan hadn’t hit a single six in the first 10-over powerplay in ODI cricket in 2023. This six from Abdullah Shafique came after Pakistan had played 1168 balls across 19 innings in 2023.

Abdullah Shafique picked a short delivery from Naveen-ul-Haq and deposited it over the deep square leg boundary for a maximum. The entire Pakistan squad in the dugout, including Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, cheered loudly for this six. The video has gone viral on social media.

Check it out here: Babar Azam cheers for first six by Pakistan in first powerplay in 2023

The way Babar appreciates & celebrate success of teammates >> 🫶👑#PAKvsAFGpic.twitter.com/feVT8fAmA1

— SAAD 🇵🇰 (@SaadIrfan258) October 23, 2023

They got to cheer for another six in the powerplay as Shafique smashed Mujeeb Ur Rahman for a six over long-off.

Babar Azam key as Afghanistan fight back

This is a brilliant, tight game going on in Chennai. Pakistan got a 56-run opening stand from Imam and Shafique, which was broken by Azmatullah. Imam scored 17 runs while Shafique got out for 58. Rizwan played an ugly sweep shot to Noor Ahmad and was caught at fine leg.

Babar Azam is batting well and inching toward a half-century. Big responsibility on him lays today.

Teams:

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil(w), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad

Pakistan (Playing XI): Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf