SL vs PAK: Saqlain Mushtaq Comes Out In Support Of Struggling Babar Azam Before Asia Cup Final

Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq commented on Babar Azam’s poor form, saying “luck” is not on his side.

Pakistan’s batting remains a cause of worry, with skipper Babar Azam achieving only a tournament best of 30. So far in the Asia Cup 2022, the right-handed batsman has scores of 30, 0, 14, 9, and 10.

In the final “Super 4” game on Friday, which served as a practice run for the Dubai final, Sri Lanka maintained their outstanding run by defeating Pakistan by a margin of five wickets. After struggling in its tournament debut against Afghanistan, when it lost the group stage game with little under 10 overs remaining, the island nation earned its fourth straight victory.

In the T20 Asia Cup final on Sunday, Sri Lanka will rely on the spin duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana to keep Pakistan’s total score low. Hasaranga tricked Babar with a slower one as the Pakistan hitter walked out only to be cleaned up in a game that was ideal for him to regain form.

Babar Azam is in good form: Saqlain Mushtaq

Babar’s dry spell of form was discussed by Pakistan’s head coach Saqlain Mushtaq, who claimed that “luck” was not on Babar’s side.

“Babar is in good form. It is just that his luck is not going his way. The kind of boundaries he has hit against India. A batter with deeper eyes will say that his form is fine. It is his luck which is not going your way,” said Mushtaq at a post-match press conference after Pakistan’s ‘Super 4’ defeat on Friday.

Saqlain Mushtaq stated of their next match against Sri Lanka in the final: “It hurts to lose, but it happens, and we want to learn from our mistakes. Sri Lanka will take confidence from this encounter into the final, while we will take learning and enthusiasm.”

Sri Lanka takes on Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2022 final in Dubai on September 11.

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