Former Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim has shared his thoughts on the Pakistan team’s new opening combination in T20 cricket. Mohammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub are being tried at the top of the order ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
Although Pakistan’s star batters; Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have had some excellent partnerships in T20 cricket, their cautious approach in the crucial overs of the innings has attracted criticism, putting additional pressure on the middle order.
In an interview with a local sports website, Imad Wasim expressed his belief that the new opening pair should be given ample opportunities to establish themselves. He emphasized the importance of patience and fair play for the new pair, particularly with the 12 T20 matches leading up to the World Cup.
“Look, they’re still new. You can’t judge them based on three, two, three, four games. If you want to change the opening stand, give them a fair run. The thing is, we’re in a different situation because I think we have 12 T20s leading into the World Cup.
“They need to do it quickly. I believe they should have given because Babar and Rizwan are already set. You can take them straight away into the World Cup opening if other fails,” Imad Wasim said.
Over the past few years, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have frequently teamed up and had some memorable partnerships against the quality opponents. Babar and Rizwan have opened the innings for Pakistan in the past T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022, and they now hold the record for the most runs scored by a pair in men’s Twenty20 Internationals.
Babar Azam Has Served Pakistan With Dignity And Pride For A Long Time – Imad Wasim
When questioned about the decision to pick between the two most prolific batsmen in all forms worldwide, Babar Azam and Virat Kohli, Imad Wasim chose his countryman Babar Azam and praised him for his contributions to the Pakistan team over the years.
“I would go Babar Azam. He’s our nation’s pride. We can criticise him, we can say things about him in the right way that he becomes an amazing player. But, he has served Pakistan with dignity & pride for a long time. He’s our pride,” Imad Wasim added.
Virat Kohli has been playing international cricket since 2008, whereas Babar Azam only made his debut in 2015. The Indian batting genius has been a dominant force with the bat in international cricket since his debut, while Babar Azam has pushed Kohli with his consistent performance across formats, drawing many comparisons between the two stalwarts.