ENG vs PAK: Shoaib Malik tears apart Babar Azam for Pakistan's loss; reminds him of PSL vs International Cricket

Pakistan National Cricket Team is currently on an England tour for the four-match T20I series leading up to the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1 in the USA and Caribbean.

The opening game of the ongoing T20I Test series was washed out due to heavy rain in Headingly. Then, Birmingham’s Edgbaston cricket ground hosted the second T20I between England and Pakistan, and the hosts emerged victorious to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing four-match T20I series.

The Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team suffered a 23-run defeat in the Edgbaston T20I, leading to many questions over their batting line-up ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan's batting order under scrutiny after 23-run loss to England in 2nd T20I

After Pakistan’s 23-run loss to England in the second T20I in Birmingham, former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shoaib Malik shared his thoughts on the Men in Green’s batting order ahead of the mega event.

Malik, a veteran with 446 international matches under his belt, is not happy with the team's batting order, especially keeping in mind the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024.

He slammed Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and the team management for taking an international match as a Pakistan Super League (PSL) clash after they lost the second T20 to England. Taking to his X account (formerly Twitter), Malik proposed a revised batting lineup for the Pakistan team.

This is not PSL; this is international cricket: Shoaib Malik slams Pakistan cricket team

The former captain excluded Saim Ayub while pointing out his recent struggles and acknowledging the growing concerns among fans about his place in the squad. Shoaib Malik posted on X: “This is not PSL; this is international cricket, too, just before the T20 World Cup. IMO, the batting order should be. Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, and Shadab Khan.”

Malik also mentioned that Babar should utilize the bench wisely and give more time to Azam Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed to settle down, as he slammed the Pakistan team management for asking the duo to start scoring 12–14 runs per over just after coming to bat.

He signed off by saying, “The captain needs to utilize the options on the bench wisely. Moving forward, the captain should give time and enough overs to Azam and Iftikhar to settle first; expecting them to score 12-14 right away is unfair. All the best for the remaining matches.”

- This is not PSL this is international cricket that too, just before T20 World Cup. IMO, the batting order should be...

Fakhar
Rizwan
Babar
Azam
Iftkar
Imad
Shadab

Captain needs to utilise the options on bench wisely. Moving forward, the captain should give time & enough…

— Shoaib Malik 🇵🇰 (@realshoaibmalik) May 25, 2024

Notably, Pakistan were bowled out for 160 while chasing a target of 184 against England. It was Pakistan’s eighth defeat against England in the last 11 T20Is. Fakhar Zaman (45 runs off 21 balls) and Babar Azam (32 runs on 26 balls) were the top scorers for the tourists in Birmingham.

On the other hand, Shaheen Afridi bagged three wickets, while Imad Wasim and Haris Rauf picked two wickets each during Pakistan’s 23-run defeat against England in the second T20I. Now, the two teams will meet in the third T20I on Tuesday, May 28 at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.