Sports
Pakistan Cricket; Stuck in a Rut?
Pakistan cricket has been plagued by instability and inconsistency over the last year and a half.
Despite changes in leadership and coaching staff, the team’s performance has suffered, and their approach to T20 cricket seems outdated.
Batting Woes
Pakistan’s batting approach has been criticized for being too conservative, aiming for par scores instead of pushing for more.
The team’s middle overs batting has been particularly poor, with a scoring rate of 7.3 runs per over, second lowest among Test-playing nations.
Lack of Sixes
Pakistan have also struggled to hit sixes, averaging less than 5 sixes per innings in T20Is over the last two years.
This is a concern, especially when compared to teams like West Indies, who average over 9 sixes per game.
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Underutilized Players
Players like Mohammad Haris and Shadab Khan have been underutilized, despite showing promise in domestic cricket.
Shadab, in particular, has been effective in the middle overs but hasn’t been given enough opportunities to bat.
Recent Series vs New Zealand
Pakistan’s recent T20I series against New Zealand ended in a 2-2 stalemate, with the home team failing to rectify their strategic errors.
The team’s inability to score 180 runs in a single innings on their home turf is a cause for concern.
| Team | Matches | Sixes | Sixes/Match |
| West Indies | 32 | 292 | 9.13 |
| India | 60 | 466 | 7.77 |
| Australia | 29 | 220 | 7,59 |
| South Africa | 26 | 177 | 6.81 |
| England | 34 | 222 | 6.53 |
| New Zealand | 55 | 332 | 6.04 |
| Sri Lanka | 33 | 191 | 5.79 |
| Afghanistan | 39 | 208 | 5.33 |
| Pakistan | 45 | 224 | 4.96 |
| Ireland | 38 | 189 | 4.97 |
| Zimbabwe | 44 | 195 | 4.43 |
Babar Azam’s Role
Captain Babar Azam has upped his scoring rate in the powerplay but slows down in the middle overs.
This, combined with Fakhar Zaman’s anchoring role at number four, has put pressure on the team’s run-scoring ability.
Time for Change
