Former Indian batter and cricket analyst, Aakash Chopra, has shared his scathing review of Pakistan’s disappointing early exit from the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Aakash Chopra criticized the Pakistan cricket team’s batting lineup while highlighting significant flaws that led to their downfall in the tournament.
The commentator Aakash Chopra has indirectly said that Pakistani key players like Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Iftikhar Ahmed look outdated in T20 cricket. However, they are good enough in the ODI format, but the fastest-growing T20 cricket demands more from them.
Aakash Chopra deems Pakistan’s batting ‘Extremely Ordinary’ in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024
Aakash Chopra mentioned that apart from Rizwan, Babar, and Iftikhar, Pakistan’s batting order lacked depth and firepower, and this aspect played a major role in their early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. He said that there is nothing in Pakistan’s batting line-up.
He further expressed disappointment over Pakistan’s “extremely ordinary” batting performance in the mega ICC event, highlighting a lack of aggressive stroke-makers apart from Rizwan and Babar in their batting line-up. Chopra said that Pakistan’s batting order looked disorganized and ineffective.
The commentator also pointed out the absence of such players in the Pakistan team who could consistently score at a brisk pace or change the course of a match with aggressive batting, which ultimately led to their early elimination from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Aakash Chopra has noted that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan shouldn’t be blamed for Pakistan’s exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. He pointed out that the duo stuck to their usual conservative T20I batting approach.
Pakistan were eliminated from the ongoing T20 World Cup after the United States of America’s clash against Ireland in Lauderhill, Florida, on Friday, June 14, was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The Men in Green are scheduled to play Ireland in their last group game at the same venue on Sunday, June 16.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra questioned the calls for Babar and Rizwan to be dropped.
“Why are you blaming Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam? Everyone is saying that Babar and Rizwan play like this or that and that they shouldn’t be played in T20Is, and you don’t qualify because of them. Then I ask a question, it’s both for the Pakistan public and the selectors – did you not know that they play like this?” he elaborated.
The former India opener Aakash Chopra added that the duo’s approach shouldn’t have surprised the Pakistan fans or selectors.
“Is it a shock for you that Rizwan takes his time and Babar also has a style of playing?
“At times, guys from the archeological department suddenly find something when they dig the surface. They get utensils from the Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa civilization, and you get surprised. No, you knew they play like this only,” Chopra stated.
Rizwan has been Pakistan’s highest run-scorer in their first three games, aggregating 93 runs at a strike rate of 88.57. Babar, who has amassed 90 runs at a strike rate of 104.65, is the only other Pakistan batter to score more than 50 runs thus far.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel:
“Pakistan had a lot of shortcomings because if you see the batting order, what is there in your batting order? If you see it from an ODI cricket perspective, it is decent batting, which includes Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Iftikhar Ahmed, but what else?
“There is nothing. I don’t remember when we saw this team having such ordinary batting but this is extremely ordinary. There is no striker. You will, of course, see consistent players in Rizwan and Babar, but other than that, the batting order seemed to be a total disorder.”
Aakash Chopra on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
Aakash Chopra noted that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not responsible for Pakistan’s poor performances.
“If you made players who play like that the captain and an important player (Rizwan), it’s not their mistake.
“They play like that only and you have not lost because of them. Even if you have lost, the fact is that these players have played like this only, not from today but for the last eight years,” he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Pakistan selectors failed to find explosive batters to complement Babar and Rizwan.
“You should have built a team around them. If you have been unable to do that, please don’t blame them. Make the team properly, which you have been unable to do.
“The truth is that if you see the batting order, you don’t see explosive ability. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan do provide a little stability but where are the others?” he stated.
However, Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Babar’s captaincy was found wanting, especially in the game against India. He pointed out that the Pakistan skipper didn’t use Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf effectively and allowed India to score more than 80 runs in the first 10 overs on a seamer-friendly surface.