Babar Azam needs to capitalize on chances coming his way, reckons Shoaib AkhtarÂ
Babar Azam scored a fifty in the second T20I against England
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Following Pakistanâs 5 wicket defeat to England, Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the Pakistani skipper Babar Azam for not capitalizing on the chances coming his way. He further opined that Azam should take all the decisions by himself and not wait for others to make decisions for him.Â
On Sunday, despite putting up 195 on the board for the loss of four wickets, Babar Azamâs team could not defend the total and lost to England by five-wicket in the second T20I in Manchester. England captain Eoin Morgan was the pick of the players for Englishmen, scoring 66 off 33 balls.Â
Following the defeat, Shoaib Akhtar has slammed Babar for his captaincy and stated that Azam looks like a âlost cowâ to him. Akhtar further added that the Pakistan skipper looked clueless with his decision-making and should make full use of the chances coming his way.Â
âBabar Azam looks like a lost cow to me. He is out there, not knowing what to do. It is important for him to take decisions on his own so that it could help him become a better captain in the coming times,â Akhtar said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Hindustan Times.Â
âThere are instructions coming from outside for him, there are three people on the field who are trying to help him. Babar will need to understand that the chances coming his way, but itâs not going to happen for the rest of his life, so he needs to capitalise on it as much as he can, and emerge as a big brand.â
Opening the batting, Babar and Fakhar Zaman got Pakistan to an explosive start with the pair putting on 72 runs in 8.2 overs. After Adil Rashid dismissed Zaman for 36 off 22, Mohammad Hafeez took charge, plundering 69 off 36 balls. Babar himself scored a half-century, scoring 56 off 44 balls at a strike-rate of 127.27.Â
However, Akhtar felt that the Pakistan captain should have batted more aggressively after the fall of Zamanâs wicket rather than looking âscaredâ and gave the example of England players, who started playing aggressively from the start.Â
âTalking about his strike-rate issue â he plays from 127 to 130-135, he can accelerate. I agree Fakhar Zaman is playing quickly, you donât need to . But when Zaman got out, you need to play at your own strike-rate, like Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow play, they look commanding. Our players look scared. Donât see any strength,â Akhtar said.
