If Babar Azam Doesn't Have A Great Tournament, I Don't Think Pakistan Can Win The T20 World Cup: Ricky Ponting
Updated - 26 Jul 2022, 11:30 PM
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According to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, if Babar Azam doesn’t have a strong tournament, Pakistan won’t be able to advance very far in the T20 World Cup 2022.
The 27-year-old was instrumental in helping the Men in Green reach the semis in the previous iteration of the major competition, where he finished as the competition’s top run-scorer.
With four half-centuries to show for his efforts, Babar scored 303 runs in six games at an average of 60.60 and a strike rate of 126.25. Pakistan won five games in the opening round before falling to Australia in the Dubai International Stadium in the semi-final.
Pakitan’s Openers And New Ball Bowlers Are Very Important: Ricky Ponting
“If Babar doesn’t have a great tournament, I don’t think they can win,” Ponting was quoted as saying on the latest episode of The ICC Review.
Babar finished as Pakistan’s third-highest run-scorer during a two-match Test series against Australia that took place back in 2019. With 210 runs scored at an average of 52.50 and two centuries, the right-hander led the league.
Ponting, who at his peak amassed over 27,000 runs for Australia, recalled being in awe of Babar during the red-ball series almost three years ago.
“I saw him up close and personal a couple of years ago out here in a Test series against Australia and I said it then, I thought the sky was the limit for this guy as far as Test match batting (was concerned) and, if anything, he’s probably got better and better in the last couple of years,” he stated.
“Their openers are very important and their new-ball bowlers are very important, but that role of the spin bowler in Australia might be a little bit more difficult with wickets that probably won’t give them assistance,” Ponting added.
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