Faf du Plessis: “I like the look of Fakhar at three; it feels like a positive adjustment to me. It is a role where he has found success previously, batting around the one down or number four position. He has scored runs there, so I believe it is a constructive move”
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Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said he likes Pakistan batsman Fakhar Zaman coming in at number three as he has scored a lot of runs in that position.
Mohammad Hafeez: “This is injustice with Babar Azam and [the] Pakistan cricket team to make Babar bat at number four. Babar is never suitable for any other number except opener or one down”
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Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez said batsman Babar Azam is the victim of injustice as he is being made to bat at number four in T20Is.
Mohammad Hafeez: “He should bat at No. 3 in white-ball formats. No more experiment[s] [please]”
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Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez believes Babar Azam should bat at number three in ODIs and T20Is, and doesn’t want any more experiments done.
Sohaib Maqsood: “Babar Azam still remains our most important T20 batter, he needs [a] different opening [partner] or he needs to bat [at] 3”
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Pakistan big-hitter Sohaib Maqsood said Babar Azam still remains the “most important T20 batter” as he is an elite run-scorer and match-winner.
Ahmed Shehzad: “And where are you willing to adjust Saud Shakeel? Another one [who] came directly into the Champions Trophy squad”
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Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has questioned where batsman Saud Shakeel will bat after he was recently included in the ODI team.
Pakistan batsman Sahibzada Farhan: “I’ll be ready to play wherever I’m needed, but I hope to get a chance to play in the same position I play in domestic matches”
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Pakistan batsman Sahibzada Farhan said he wants to play as an opener or at number three since that is the normal position he bats at in domestic cricket.
Basit Ali: “I have been saying that Shan is an opener he should open. But he played at number three. Now, what will happen? Who will you drop? He should play at his number”
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Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali admitted he is confused as to why Test captain Shan Masood isn’t playing as an opener.
Ahmed Shehzad: “If this continues, even putting Iftikhar in the one down position won’t help you”
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Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad believes that if the national team don’t follow through with their promise to play a more aggressive brand of cricket, then even promoting power-hitter Iftikhar Ahmed to number three in T20Is won’t help.
Sanjay Manjrekar: “Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan can’t be opening together. Both of them were not really keen to strike early”
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Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan cannot open the batting together for Pakistan as they are “not really keen to strike early”.
Babar Azam: “You’ll see our planning in this series [against England] but yes, we can make one or so changes according to the conditions or what is required. But, mostly I’ll be batting at one down”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam has confirmed that he will mostly be batting at number three in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
