Babar Azam's scores just causing losses, needs to learn from India, sternly remarks Danish Kaneria
Danish Kaneria has come down harshly on Pakistan cricket for playing conservative cricket that saw them lose the ODI series at home to New Zealand, just days before India thrashed the Kiwis in their own home. Kaneria went on to label Babar Azam as selfish and compared the team's approach to India's.
Pakistan cricket has been going through a tumultuous phase of late just months after the Asian contingent nearly lifted the ICC World T20, failing at the last hurdle against England. Since the final in November, the Men in Green were whitewashed by the same opposition in Tests in their own backyard followed by two exhilarating draws against the Kiwi albeit on surfaces and in conditions that raised quite a few eyebrows. The phase saw the Pakistan Cricket Board go through a complete overhaul with a new President andĀ the appointment of Shahid Afridi as an interim selector but the team's lowest moment came in the recent ODI series against New Zealand.
Preparing for the ODI World Cup in neighbouring India later in the year, the team succumbed to a 2-1 series loss. In the first game, the home side tumbled its way to the target of 258 with just 11 balls to spare, before folding for 182 in the next game trying to chase 261. In the decider, their score of 280/9 did not prove to be good enough as New Zealand got across the finish line in the 49th over. The result has further put theĀ limelight over splitting the captaincy, with talks strife of Shan MasoodĀ replacing Babar Azam the next white ball captain.
"Pakistan will have to think about the T20 captaincy as well as to whom to give it if they take it away from Babar Azam. Did we make any big score of note in the ODIs? Did anyone score double hundred? Was there any dominant performance? No. We need to realize all this and learn from other countries like India who are exploiting their conditions. But here we are afraid of getting exposed in our own conditions," former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria was quoted opinionating on the issue by Hindustan Times.
The Kiwis thereon travelled to India for another three-match ODI series, only to be subjected to a record-breaking Shubman Gill double-century in a comprehensive loss. The endeavour was wrapped up in the next game itself asĀ the Black Caps were brutally bowled out for a paltry 108Ā in an eight-wicket loss, further highlighting Pakistan's inadequacies in familiar conditions.Ā
"Now India have a chance to test their bench in the third ODI and give new players some chances. But in Pakistan it's all about thinking about yourself. Babar Azam continues to score his own 50-60 runs and the team doesn't benefit from that at all, it's just causing losses," Kaneria added.