Pakistan should not take Zimbabwe lightly, says Tauseef

KARACHI: Former Pakistan Test and ODI cricketer Tauseef Ahmed has warned the Greenshirts not to take the series against Zimbabwe lightly.

Pakistan will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in Zimbabwe, with the 50-over series beginning on Sunday (today).

Talking to The News, he emphasised the importance of proper planning and strategy since Zimbabwe will be competing on home turf, and they defeated Pakistan in the group stage match of the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Tauseef said that after registering a historic 2-1 win in the ODI series against Australia, the way the Greenshirts faced whitewash in T20Is was enough to indicate the flaws and weaknesses in the batting lineup. “They weren’t even able to bat all 20 overs,” he said.

“Our remarkable come-from-behind series victory in the ODIs in Australia was nothing short of astonishing. Our fast bowlers were outstanding, and even during the crucial chase in the series decider, our batting lineup held strong under pressure. However, the disappointing display in the T20Is serves as a wake-up call. Our batters appeared lost, struggling to decide between an aggressive approach and a more traditional style of play,” Tauseef said.

As Pakistan have rested Babar Azam for the series, Tauseef hopes that batters like Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique and Kamran Ghulam will be able to seize the opportunity.

“The wickets in Zimbabwe will be swinging and seamy and may create problems for our batters. There’s no harm in trying new players on such tours, but adaptability to tough conditions is also vital, considering how our batters struggled in the 20-over series against Australia,” the former off-spinner highlighted.