Shadab Khan: “We don’t really enjoy with Babar on the field because he is a different person altogether over there, but we do enjoy with him off the field”
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Shadab Khan, the Pakistan spinner, has admitted that he and his teammates “don’t really enjoy” with captain Babar Azam during matches as he is a “different person altogether.”
But, when the team is relaxing off the field, all of them have a lot of fun together.
Azam naturally has a take a tougher stance when playing as it is his job as captain to ensure Pakistan win matches.
“We don’t really enjoy with Babar on the field because he is a different person altogether over there, but we do enjoy with him off the field,” Shadab was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam recently scored 76 runs in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at an average of 25.33.
He then proceeded to make 113 runs in three ODIs against Afghanistan, which included two fifties, at an average of 37.66.
As for the ongoing Asia Cup, the 28-year-old has accumulated 178 runs in four matches, which includes a top score of 151, at an average of 59.33.
Pakistan kicked off their Asia Cup campaign with a dominant 238-run victory over Nepal before they were forced to share one point apiece with India after their match was abandoned due to rain.
Having progressed to the Super Four stage, the men in green recorded a comfortable seven-wicket win over Bangladesh.
However, their red-hot form took a hit when they suffered a 228-run loss at the hands of India.
Pakistan had the opportunity to make it to the Asia Cup final when they took on Sri Lanka on September 14 in Colombo, but they blew it when they lost by two wickets via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method (DLS) method.
It has been reported that after the men in green were knocked out of the tournament, Azam and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi were involved in a verbal altercation.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir
Pak is in the doldrums. The total approach is problematic. Pak has no batting lineup, no spinners, and pacers are okay but bowling plans are lacking, and fielding is defensive. There’s no aggression and the player’s body language seems to be very defeating. There’s also a lack of on-field meetings and discussions once the team is under pressure. So all in all, Pak needs total revamping.
Change the team and the approach. Get some good batters and 5 pacers. Get Shoaib Malik, I am Ayub and Saud Shakeel. Drop Shadab, Fakr, and Salman Aga. Include Amir, Hasan Ali, and Hasnain.