Babar angry at middle order’s poor show

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan captain Babar Azam called middle-order’s poor batting display the reason for the unexpected loss against Zimbabwe in the second T20 international at Harare on Friday.

In a post-match interview, he said he was quite upset at the loss. “The middle-order should have shown some guts. It was never a difficult ask. Poor display by the middle-order was the reason behind this loss. Our middle and lower-middle order is really struggling,” he said.

“Really I feel bad and angry as there was no stiff target to chase. We should have won the match quite comfortably,” he said.

“It was almost the same surface where we scored around 150 in the first T20. We should have won this match easily but since some of our batsmen keep on struggling, we lost the match as yet again they could not perform. It was the first match in recent times where someone from the top-order could not finish the game. The middle-order should have stood up to the challenge,” he said.

Babar was worried about the team combination for the World Cup T20 to be held in India in October. “Indeed batting, especially the middle-order, gives a worrying sign. From here on we will play our best team in order to get favourable results and to give the team a competitive look,” he said.

He praised Zimbabwe’s bowling and fielding. “They bowled to a plan, knowing well they had a chance to turn the table in their favour and succeeded in that,” he said.

Host team captain Brendon Taylor termed the victory a result of determination and will power. In a post-match talk, the stand-in captain said his players fought till the end knowing well they had a chance in the match. “Look we won the match with determination and willpower. Every member of my team fought well and stayed confident knowing well that Zimbabwe had a chance in the match. The victory that was first for Zimbabwe against Pakistan was a result of teamwork,” he said.

“We were never at our best in the first T20 where we dropped so many catches. Here in the second T20 every cricketer raised the level of his fielding, making it easier to keep up pressure on the Pakistan team throughout the innings,” he added.