Usama Mir: “How can you justify dropping Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and replacing them with players who have an even lower strike-rate”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan spinner Usama Mir has asked how the national selectors can justify dropping batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I team when their replacements have an even lower strike-rate than them.
Azam and Rizwan used to be first-choice picks in the shortest format as they consistently scored runs at the top of the order.
However, both of them kept getting criticised for not making their runs quick enough, which many believe ultimately led to them getting axed from the side.
With the replacement batsmen having failed to meet expectations, Mir is puzzled why the selectors decided to drop Azam and Rizwan in the first place.
“How can you justify dropping Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and replacing them with players who have an even lower strike-rate,” he was quoted as saying by respected journalist Saj Sadiq on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Azam and Rizwan were recently in action in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa.
In the two Tests that were played, Azam scored 131 runs, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
As for Rizwan, he ended up with 126 runs, which included a top score of 75, at an average of 31.50.
Next up was the three-match T20I series, where Azam made his T20I comeback and amassed 79 runs, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.
Rizwan, however, was not included in the squad.
Pakistan and South Africa then played three ODIs, where Azam amassed 45 runs at an average of 15, while Rizwan finished with 91 runs, which included a top score of 55, at an average of 45.50.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka from November 11 to 15.
Following that, the men in green will feature in a T20I tri-series with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
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