Inzamam-ul-Haq, a former cricketer believes Pakistan is approaching ODI cricket with a T20 mindset after England’s second-string side beat Pakistan by 52 runs in the second ODI at Lord’s on Saturday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
While speaking on his YouTube channel, the former cricketer criticised Pakistan batsmen for not taking their time at the crease.
Inzamam-ul-Haq: Pakistan Is Trying To Play T20 Cricket
Despite being without their first-choice squad and being put in to bat in conditions which Ben Stokes described as “lovely to bowl in” and subsiding to 160 for 7 with 20 overs of their innings remaining, England won the 2nd ODI by 52 runs after winning the first ODI in Cardiff by nine wickets.
“Pakistan team is trying to play T20 cricket. They were going for big hits and were not rotating the strike. Pakistan played 151 dot balls and yet they didn’t bat 50 overs. Fakhar scored only 8 runs in 50 balls, so a bowler is bound to create pressure on you,” Inzamam said.
“Every batsman is playing four dot balls and then going for a hit. You need to rotate the strike and give time to yourself in ODIs otherwise you will only score 150 or 190,” he added.
Pakistan’s top-order batting which is supposed to be their strength in white-ball cricket has become the cause of a chastening series loss after the abject surrender in the first 2 ODIs. In Cardiff, they were reduced to 26 for 4 even as the game had barely begun while at Lord’s they stumbled to 36 for 3 and then 53 for 4. The likes of Imam ul Haq (0 and 1), Babar Azam (0 and 19), Mohammed Rizwan (13 and 5) failed in both games.
Inzamam-ul-Haq: Saud Shakeel Was Playing Proper ODI Cricket
However, Inzamam-ul-Haq lauded the temperament of young batsman Saud Shakeel, who scored his maiden ODI fifty in the second ODI. There were encouraging moments for Pakistan as Saud Shakeel, in just his second ODI, looked composed in his knock of 56 runs off 77 balls.
“Saud Shakeel was playing proper ODI cricket. He didn’t score at a high strike rate but I found him confident and he scored under pressure, which is a good sign for Pakistan cricket. There are areas in which he can still improve, but his confidence and technique are very good,” he said.
England’s second string proved more than a match for a Pakistan team that had lost only one of their 12 most recent ODIs and is currently ranked No. 3 in the World Cup Super League. Pakistan will take on England in the third match of the series on Tuesday in Birmingham.