Former Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam has responded to critics who have questioned his strike rate in limited-overs cricket. He admitted that hitting sixes is not his forte and that he prefers a more traditional style of play.
Babar Azam has been criticized for his conservative approach in white-ball cricket, especially for not scoring quickly in crucial moments. His strike rates in ODIs and T20Is are 88.75 and 129.12, respectively. Despite scoring over 10,000 runs in T20 cricket, his strike rate is just 129.40. However, while leading Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024, he has shown improvement in his strike rate and played some impressive innings for the team.
Babar Azam Slammed Strike Rate Critics
Babar Azam is leading the run charts in the ongoing tournament. So far, in 7 matches, he has scored 394 runs with an impressive average of 65.66 and a healthy strike rate of 152.12. His highest score in the tournament is an unbeaten 111*.
Babar Azam has found significant success as an opener in T20 cricket, a role he continues to fulfill for his franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). However, his position in the Pakistan National Cricket Team’s T20Is has shifted. He has been demoted to No. 3, with Saim Ayub now joining Mohammad Rizwan at the top of the order.
After leading his team to a narrow 4-run victory against Multan Sultans and being named Player of the Match, Babar Azam addressed the criticism surrounding his T20 batting style. He acknowledged that many have been discussing his strike rate and urging him to hit more sixes. Babar Azam admitted that power-hitting isn’t his strong suit and emphasized the importance of playing to his strengths.
Speaking in the post-match presentation ceremony, Babar said: “People are talking a lot about my strike rate these days. People want me to go out there and hit sixes, but that is not my strength. I try to stick to my strength and get better every day,”
Babar Azam, the former Pakistan captain, recently set records by scoring 3000 runs in the Pakistan Super League and becoming the fastest to reach 10,000 runs in T20 cricket, surpassing Chris Gayle. Rumors suggest he might be reinstated as captain, but nothing official has been announced. Currently, Shaheen Afridi leads the T20I team, and Shan Masood captains the Test team. Azam’s next match is against Quetta Gladiators on March 08, 2024, in the PSL 2024.
