Shoaib Malik: “IMO (In my opinion), the batting order should be… Fakhar, Rizwan, Babar, Azam, Iftikhar, Imad, Shadab”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik wants to see Fakhar Zaman opening the batting as he shared his batting order ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Zaman has been batting at number four lately, but has been in good form and provided some stability in the middle order.
Regardless of this, Malik assigned Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan as openers, while limited overs captain Babar Azam was at one down.
He then slotted Azam Khan at number four, Iftikhar Ahmed at number five, and Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan at numbers six and seven respectively.
“IMO (In my opinion), the batting order should be… Fakhar, Rizwan, Babar, Azam, Iftikhar, Imad, Shadab,” Malik said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Zaman amassed 104 runs in two games, which included a top score of 61, at an average of 52 and a strike-rate of 133.33.
He then proceeded to make 98 runs in three T20Is against Ireland, which included a top score of 78, at an average of 49 and a strike-rate of 168.96.
As for Pakistan’s four-match T20I series against England, the 34-year-old finished with 54 runs in two matches at an average of 27 and a strike-rate of 180.
The men in green will now feature in the T20 World Cup, which is taking place in the West Indies and United States of America.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
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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