Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s T20I approach has come under the scanner in recent times. Shashwat Kumar looks at the numbers and argues that their current method of batting together for as long as possible is perhaps Pakistan’s best chance of success.
Over the past year or so, there has been a notion that the longer Babar and Rizwan bat together, the more detrimental it is to Pakistan’s cause. Neither has an explosive record in the powerplay and they are very similar players in terms of how they build their innings. That clamour only grew louder at the T20 World Cup with Babar and Rizwan not registering a half-century during the Super 12 stage. So, when Pakistan rocked up at the SCG to face New Zealand, their fans might have feared the worst, especially against a world-class bowling attack.
Nothing of that sort happened, though. Babar and Rizwan batted for 12.4 overs and scored 105 runs, breaking the back of a 153-run chase. Those runs also came at a run-rate of more than eight runs per over, which was greater than the original required run-rate (7.65). There was a momentary wobble but the heavy lifting Babar and Rizwan had done meant that the others just had to chip in to ensure victory.
This is not an anomaly either.
Babar and Rizwan have batted seven or more overs as an opening pair 15 times in T20Is. 12 of those have resulted in wins, with only three leading to defeats. Among the 12 match-winning stands, only four have come at less than eight runs per over, breaking the myth that they score slowly and put Pakistan in a bad situation. Pakistan’s opening pair also have eight century partnerships – all of them powering Pakistan to victory.
In a high-stakes game against New Zealand, Babar and Rizwan might have known how crucial their contribution was. The pitch was sluggish and was gripping, meaning that maximising the powerplay was important. The pair took that on board, ransacking 55 runs inside the field restrictions. They took down Tim Southee and Trent Boult too, smashing a combined 39 runs off the four overs New Zealand’s premier pacers sent down.
The only two teams to win while chasing at the SCG at this T20 World Cup are England and Pakistan. Both scored more than 50 runs and did not lose a wicket inside the powerplay. So much for Babar and Rizwan not being adaptable and aggressive enough.
Hence, a genuine case can be made that if Pakistan are to stand the best possible chance of victory, they need Babar and Rizwan to bat past the powerplay. Not just because it lays a solid foundation, but also because they invariably accelerate once established at the crease, as the numbers suggest. That they exude a sense of calm whenever batting together, only helps those around them.
In a couple of days’ time, Pakistan will line up at the MCG against one of England or India. And the recipe for success, irrespective of the occasion, will be fairly simple for Babar, Rizwan and Pakistan – bat for seven overs or more. When that happens, Pakistan invariably win. And if they put together a century partnership, well, Pakistan always win.
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