Mohammad Hafeez: “Babar and Rizwan are great players but do not represent the whole Pakistan team. Babar and Rizwan cannot take the whole responsibility of the team upon their shoulders”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez believes it is impossible for limited overs captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan to be the team’s saviours constantly.
Azam and Rizwan have been the men in green’s go-to run-scorers in all three formats for a few years now, while other batsmen have chipped in here and there, but have been nowhere near as consistent as both of them.
Hafeez noted that the duo cannot be expected to continue carrying Pakistan and urged other players to step up and make the most of the chances they are being given.
“Babar and Rizwan are great players but do not represent the whole Pakistan team. Babar and Rizwan cannot take the whole responsibility of the team upon their shoulders,” he told Geo News as quoted by NDTV.
In the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Azam made 125 runs in five games, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 31.25 and a strike-rate of 138.88.
As for Rizwan, he amassed 67 runs in the three matches he played.
Following this, Azam accumulated 132 runs in three T20Is against Ireland, which included two fifties, at an average of 44 and a strike-rate of 148.31.
Rizwan, meanwhile, also finished with 132 runs, which included two half-centuries, but at an average of 66 and a strike-rate of 150.
Pakistan are now playing a four-match T20I series against England and find themselves 1-0 down.
After this, they will feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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