Pak vs Eng: Babar Azam admits poor batting, bowling cost Pakistan ODI series

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam Tuesday accepted the failure of the team to perform during the ODI series against England. 

Azam was speaking during the post-match conference after the humiliating loss in the third ODI against England.

"Our bowling and fielding were not up to the mark," he said after the pacer failed to defend a massive 300+ target, triggering protests by angry Pakistani fans who came to the stadium.

He said they did not play well as a team.

The top ODI batsman said that the bowlers were sloppy while fielders dropped catches. 

"There is no room for mistakes in international cricket."

Azam lamented that batting in the opening matches disappointed while they lost today due to the bowling and fielding.

“Good and bad days come, as a captain I fully support my team,” Babar Azam said.

Clean sweep

Pakistan captain Babar Azam returned to form with a record-breaking 158 yet once again found himself on the losing side as England completed a 3-0 one-day international series clean sweep at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

His highest score at this level saw Azam become the quickest player to 14 hundreds in men’s ODIs as the 26-year-old reached the landmark in 81 innings -- three fewer than South Africa’s Hashim Amla.

Together with Mohammad Rizwan he shared a stand of 179, a Pakistan partnership record against England in an ODI.

Yet despite a total of 331-9, Pakistan still suffered a three-wicket defeat after England’s James Vince posted his maiden international hundred.