Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan duly gave the best reply possible to their detractors, who’d been piling up criticism regarding their strike rate and intent as openers in T20 cricket after Pakistan’s loss at the Asia Cup 2022.
The two Pakistani openers created a new T20I world record of the highest successful chase without losing a wicket, and broke their own previous record of the highest partnership in successful T20I run-chases, with their stand of 203* in 19.3 overs in the second T20I against England on Thursday in Karachi.
After electing to bat first, England scored 199/5 with 5 English batters scoring more than 25, and Moeen Ali, the stand-in skipper for the injured Jos Buttler, top-scoring and giving a superb finish with 55* off 23 balls.
This was a big test for Babar and Rizwan, both of whom have been under pressure regarding their strike rates since Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final knock out against Australia, further compounded by the twin losses to Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup earlier this month.
On Thursday, both attacked from the onset of Pakistan’s innings and registered a powerplay score of 59/0. In the powerplay, while Rizwan was the aggressor (32 off 16), Babar remained conservative scoring 26 off 20 balls, and moved to 38 off 31 at the 9-over mark – when Babar turned up the tempo smashing Luke Wood for a six.
He brought up his fifty of 39 balls and Pakistan needed 96 in 8 overs (required run rate of 12). After that it was some of the most glorious hitting we have seen in recent times from the Pakistani skipper.
Then, Babar and Rizwan walloped Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid for 5 sixes combined to get the required rate under 10 for the last 5 overs. Azam thumped two fours and a six in the next two overs to enter the 90s. Babar reached his century in 62 balls in what was a quiet 4-run 18th over from Sam Curran left Pakistan needing 20 runs from the last two overs.
The pair didn’t wait for the last over and took 17 runs from the 19th over, off Luke Wood, who went awry with his lines bowling three wides. Fittingly, it was Babar who finished off the chase with a boundary with three balls to spare.
As Twitter went berserk over this record partnership and exciting chase, Pakistani speedster Shaheen Afridi, who is missing this England series due to a knee injury, took to Twitter to hail Babar, but in a very sarcastic manner.
To leave everyone stunned, Shaheen said Babar and Rizwan are “selfish” (as a dig to the trollers) and should be removed, and that they should have completed the game by the 15th over. Finally, he lauded the openers.
“I think it is time to get rid of Kaptaan @babarazam258 and @iMRizwanPak. Itne selfish players. Agar sahi se khelte to match 15 overs me finish hojana chahye tha. Ye akhri over tak le gaye. Let’s make this a movement. Nahi? (wink emoji),” Shaheen tweeted.
“Absolutely proud of this amazing Pakistani team,” he added.
I think it is time to get rid of Kaptaan @babarazam258 and @iMRizwanPak. Itne selfish players. Agar sahi se khelte to match 15 overs me finish hojana chahye tha. Ye akhri over tak le gaye. Let’s make this a movement. Nahi? 😉
Absolutely proud of this amazing Pakistani team. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Q9aKqo3iDm
— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) September 22, 2022
