T20 World Cup | Don't know what insecurity Pakistan have, says Salman Butt raising question on Babar Azam's strategy
Ahead of Pakistan’s opening fixture against arch-rivals India on October 24 in Dubai, Salman Butt went on to question Babar Azam’s strategy in the warm-up matches. The former Pakistan captain further added that India did the right thing by trying out all the players in the warm-up games.
Pakistan will lock horns with arch-rivals India on October 24 in Dubai, and the Babar Azam-led side will be looking forward to starting off their campaign with a victory against the neighbours. The Men in Blue have emerged victorious on all five occasions in the ICC T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007.
Ahead of the Super 12 round, India and Pakistan were scheduled to play two warm-up matches, and the Virat Kohli-led side thrashed England and Australia in their two outings. Whereas, Pakistan outplayed West Indies in the first warm-up match, but they lost to South Africa in their second match.
After Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat against the Proteas, Salman Butt went on to question Babar Azam’s strategy ahead of their opening fixture against India. He further stated that he does not understand Babar Azam's strategy behind not giving others chance in the top-order. Notably, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik occupied the top-five batting positions in both the maches. India, on the other hand, shuffled their batting poistions, also trying different opening combinations in both the matches.
"India have utilised these warm-up matches well... they've given game time to everyone despite the fact that they've all played the IPL. If they had not done this and had played with their playing XI, even then we could have argued that 'They haven't played together as a team so are doing it now'. But even they didn't do it. I don't know what insecurity we have that 'someone else should not make runs in that position or someone else should not get that opportunity'. For God's sake, you are the captain, you have to use your players, where will you do that?" said Butt on YouTube.
"Can't it happen that God forbid that you both [Babar and Rizwan] will get out in the first over? Then also someone will have to play against the new ball. See, Babar got out early here [against South Africa] na? Now, what is their mindset of going ahead? I don't understand this strategy," he added.
India and Pakistan are placed alongside New Zealand and Afghanistan in Group 2 at the Super 12s, with two more teams to join after completion of Round 1 on October 22.
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