AUS vs PAK: Babar Azam Didn't Play His Natural Game And The Captain's Intent Reflects In Team's Performance - Moin Khan

Former Pakistan cricketer Moin Khan opened up about the contrasting captaincy styles of Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam during the India-Pakistan World Cup clash. Moin Khan emphasized that Babar Azam adopted a more cautious batting approach during the match.

The Rohit Sharma-led team secured a seven-wicket victory against their arch-rivals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14. The home team extended their impressive winning streak to 8-0 against Pakistan in the 50-over World Cup.

Babar Azam Was Not Playing His Natural Game – Moin Khan

Speaking on A Sports, Moin Khan highlighted that Rohit Sharma’s aggressive captaincy and power-hitting set the tone for India’s dominant performance.

“I wanted to compare the intent of both captains. Rohit asked Pakistan to bat first after winning the toss and then India restricted them to a below-par total. The way Babar Azam played, it was visible that he was not playing his natural game,” Moin Khan said.

“Babar did not take any chances while batting. Babar did hit a fifty but he took 58 balls. He should have maintained the flow and attacked while batting. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma made the match one-sided with his power-hitting. The captain’s intent reflects in his team’s performance,” he added.

Babar Azam scored 50 runs off 58 balls with the help of seven boundaries before being dismissed by Mohammed Siraj. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma blazed 86 runs off 63 balls, including six boundaries and six maximums, to give the team a flying start.

Mickey Arthur Is Diverting Attention – Moin Khan

Moin Khan criticized team director Mickey Arthur for his post-match comments, saying that he diverted attention from more important matters. Khan suggested that Arthur should focus on his professional duties as a coach.

“[Mickey Arthur is] diverting attention. A lot of people are disheartened and you’re making them emotional. I think he should discuss what is his job as a professional rather than showing a new path. As a coach, he shouldn’t have said that.”

The Babar Azam-led team will take on the Pat Cummins-led Australia in their next match at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, October 20.

Also read: IND vs PAK: Babar Azam To Lose Captaincy After India Match? Pakistan Captain Provides Massive Update On His Future