IND Vs BAN: Hardik Pandya Slams Babar Azam And Mohammad Rizwan For Timid Batting: "They Didn't Take Any Chances!"

In a pivotal clash at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, India delivered a significant blow to Pakistan, securing a commanding 7-wicket victory on Saturday, October 14th, at the grand stage of the Narendra Modi Stadium. After winning the toss, India opted to field first, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown.

Pakistan commenced their innings with a brisk pace, reaching a score of 70/2 within the first 12 overs. However, their momentum took a considerable hit once India introduced their spinners into the equation. Babar Azam and the in-form Mohammad Rizwan appeared to shift their focus from attacking the spinners to minimizing risks, primarily targeting Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja.

Unfortunately, this shift in strategy led to a significant loss of momentum, with the duo managing to accumulate just 80 runs over the next 18 overs. The result was a monumental collapse, as Pakistan found themselves bundled out for a mere 191 runs.

Following the match, India’s vice-captain, Hardik Pandya, expressed his observations regarding Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s approach. Pandya pointed out that the duo exhibited timidity and refrained from taking risks throughout their innings. He believed that this cautious approach was the primary reason behind India’s advantage in the game.

“Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were timid. They didn’t take any chances, which is why we thought we were always in the game. There wasn’t much in the pitch for the bowlers. They didn’t try going for shots or attacking us, which is why we were able to bowl dot balls. I have seen that if two players bat in the same way if one gets out, then it opens up a lot of doors,”  remarked Pandya in his post-match statement to the official broadcaster.

Mohammad Amir Also Criticised Babar Azam And Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan’s fast bowler, Mohammad Amir, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that both Babar Azam and  Mohammad Rizwan were well-set and should have taken a more aggressive approach.

“Babar Azam played all his innings under pressure, and when the time came for a charge, he couldn’t,” said Amir, as reported by Cricket Pakistan. “The stature of a batter like him must have taken the innings along, and we can’t blame the middle-order batters because they (Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan) had set the stage,” Amir further added.

In response, India’s opening duo of Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma started their innings aggressively against Pakistan. Despite the early dismissals of Shubman and later, Virat Kohli, India maintained their attacking intent and successfully chased down the 192-run target in just 30.3 overs.

With this victory, India extended its unbeaten streak and currently holds the top spot in the league table with three wins from three games. While New Zealand matches India in the number of wins, the home team possesses a slightly superior Net Run Rate (NRR).

India’s next challenge awaits as they are set to face Bangladesh on October 19th in Pune, where fans eagerly anticipate another exciting showdown in the world of cricket.