(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Published: Thu 17 Aug 2023, 10:26 PM Last updated: Thu 17 Aug 2023, 10:39 PM
Pakistan has always been considered an unpredictable team in the past specially in the ODI format as one would ever know which team would turn up on match day. This is because their performances were never consistent and they were full of surprises.
However, the current team under Babar Azam looks very solid and looks like the team which will be hard to beat.
There are many reasons to back this assessment. Their openers, Omam ul Haq and Fakhar Zaman, are now well settled and have more often than not given the team a sound start by laying down a good platform for the rest of the players to build on.
At No 3 is Babar Azam, the number one batsman in the world with an astonishing average of 59 and 18 ODI hundreds. He is in prime form and leading from the front, something that Virat Kohli used to do for team India at his peak.
Mohmmad Rizwan, who, along with Babar Azam, has been instrumental for many Pakistan is the back bone of the team. Along with the aforementioned pair they have the experienced Iftikhar Ahmed who can perform the finishing job well while Saud Shakeel, who showed his talent in the recently concluded Test series in Sri Lanka by winning the Man of the series award, is a huge asset.
Their bowling is led by the enigmatic Shaheen Shah Afridi, among the top ten ODI bowlers in the world, who can run through a side like a knife cuts through butter.
In young Naseem Shah Pakistan have found an able partner for Afridi who is quick as well/ With Harris Rauf being the third seamer Pakistan attack in seam bowling is currently one of the best.
They have been well-backed by leg spinner and vice-captain Shadab Khan who is match winner both with the bat and ball. And if leggie Usamir Mir comes to the party, Pakistan will be a hard team to beat.
Over the past one decade India have dominated Pakistan but after their wins in the T20 World Cup and Asia Cup, Pakistan is no more a pushover team and looks much more solid and assured as compared to India in all departments.
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If i had to pick a favorite to win the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, my choice would be Pakistan. So, watch out for team Pakistan under Babar Azam.
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