Pakistan's cricket captain Babar Azam, left, and Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan run between the wickets during the Cricket Twenty20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan in Dubai, UAE, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) After Pakistan’s loss to India, a Pakistan legend criticizes Babar Azam’s captaincy. Babar, according to former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram, was “too late” to bring Nawaz in for the latter’s final over. He believed that by the 13th or 14th over, the skipper should have completed the spinner’s four-over quota.
On Sunday, India beat Pakistan by five wickets in a last-over thriller at Dubai International Stadium. The 2022 Asia Cup match between the arch-rivals came down to the wire, but all-rounder Hardik Pandya displayed steely nerves to pull off the heist for the Indian team in pursuit of a 148-run target. Aside from Pandya’s crucial knock, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam’s lack of proper planning in the second innings played a significant role in his team’s loss to India.
By the 19th over, Pakistan’s fast bowlers had completed their quota of overs, leaving spinner Mohammad Nawaz with the task of bowling the final 6 balls with only 7 runs to defend.
It is worth noting that Nawaz had completed his third over by the 12th over of the innings, but Babar failed to rotate his bowlers effectively, resulting in Nawaz being brought in to bowl the final over with Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease.
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Wasim Akram: Babar, was “too late” to bring Nawaz in for the latter’s final over.
He believed that by the 13th or 14th over, the skipper should have completed the spinner’s four-over quota.
“I believe Babar made a mistake. Nawaz should have bowled the 13th or 14th over. It was already too late. In T20 format (bowling), you can’t have a spinner in the last 3 to 4 overs, especially against the likes of (Ravindra) Jadeja and (Hardik) Pandya “After the game, Akram spoke to Star Sports.
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