Not satisfied with series result against Kiwis: Babar Azam

ISLAMABAD: National team captain Babar Azam has said that as a captain, he is not satisfied with the series result against New Zealand and believes they should have won the series by a good margin.

The T20 series between Pakistan and New Zealand ended in a 2-2 tie, with one match being washed out due to rain.

Speaking at a press conference after the series against New Zealand, Babar Azam said that they had achieved some of the goals they had set for the series, but unfortunately, there were some injuries, they rotated in batting and tried to go with different combinations, using various bowlers in the initial six overs.

He mentioned that their middle-order batting is struggling; sometimes they sent Shadab and sometimes Iftikhar, they also gave Usman an opportunity and the real issue is the middle order.

Answering a question, Babar said that as a captain, he was not at all satisfied with the series being tied 2-2 and they should have won it by a good margin. However, he acknowledged that some margin must be given because there are some new players in the team, but this cannot be used as an excuse because they should have played better cricket and won the series.

He said that in three matches they definitely scored 20 to 30 runs less than required, they will work on this, and they also felt the absence of Azam Khan in the series because he is a player who can change the complexion of the match when he stands up.

When asked whether the rotation policy would not apply to the captain, Babar expressed some annoyance and said, “you wanted me to sit out, I think you wanted me to sit, I will consider it next time.”

The national team captain said that he did not need to please people, he needed to go with different combinations, so he had to be with the team on the field, not sitting out and observing these things.

Regarding Saim Ayub’s continuous failure in all five matches, Babar Azam said that Saim has a lot of talent, he has played very well in PSL and other leagues around the world, and he is a game-changer who can force the opposing team into a defensive position in the first six overs, he is currently struggling but is just one good innings away from returning to form.

He said that if Saim plays one inning, he will return to normal cricket, such talent needs to be given some margin, while nothing can be said about the opening pair and anything can happen.