"Pakistan's Number 1 Batter Is Fakhar Zaman, Not Babar Azam..."- Abdul Razzaq

Former Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzaq criticized captain Babar Azam for his batting approach in the 2023 World Cup. Abdul Razzaq suggested that Babar Azam should learn from Indian captain Rohit Sharma about prioritizing the team and adapting his style of play.

Babar Azam‘s performance with the bat in the ongoing World Cup has been disappointing. He scored 282 runs at an average of 40.28 and a strike rate of 82.70. It’s worth noting that three out of his four half-centuries were achieved in matches that Pakistan ended up losing.

Babar Azam Doesn’t Have That Class – Abdul Razzaq

Abdul Razzaq praised Fakhar Zaman for his intent against New Zealand in the previous match. Razzaq reminisced about renowned players like Matthew Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, and Ricky Ponting, who can dominate and change the game.

“No 1 batter is Fakhar Zaman. All New Zealand batters were praising him. Our captain doesn’t have that class. Look at Rohit, he is ready to score 10 runs in the first over and then 15 in the second. Our captain has different playing style, but he should see what Rohit is doing.”

“World class players are the ones who take the game away from the opposition. In our time, it was Matthew Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting,” said Razzaq.

We Are Questioning Our Bowlers – Abdul Razzaq

Abdul Razzaq highlighted the unity within Team India as a key factor behind their dominant performances in the World Cup. He praised the Indian players for their national pride, citing Virat Kohli’s celebratory reactions when teammates score runs.

“They are playing for their nation. Look at Virat Kohli’s reaction when other batters hit the runs, he celebrates like he has scored one.”

“Bowlers are attacking, batters are attacking. Two months ago, Pakistan bowlers were attacking and that’s why we were doing so well. We called them World No 1 attack. The same unit is not taking the wickets, now we are questioning our bowlers, it happens in cricket. I will give this credit to Rohit Sharma for his team unity and with the confidence they are playing,” he further added.

The Rohit Sharma-led team has already advanced to the semi-final stage of the tournament, sitting at the top of the 10-team table. In contrast, the Babar Azam-led team is yet to secure a spot in the knockout matches.

Also read: NZ vs PAK: “Babar Azam Is Pakistan’s Sachin Tendulkar” – Abdul Razzaq Goes Bersek Despite Pak Captain’s Poor Outing In World Cup 2023