T20 World Cup 2022: "Time for Pakistan to introspect" - Aakash Chopra's suggestion to Babar Azam and Co. ahead of crucial tie against the Netherlands
Aakash Chopra recently stated that Pakistan have very limited options to try against the Netherlands in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 after consecutive losses against India and Zimbabwe.
Chopra opined that Babar Azam and Co. will have to stick with the same side for the remainder of the tournament. He, however, suggested that the Pakistani team management could look to bring in senior batter Fakhar Zaman or Asif Ali in place of the struggling Haider Ali.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra explained:
"It's time for Pakistan to introspect. They have no other option but to play this team. The only change they can make is to bring in Asif Ali in place of Haider Ali, or maybe give Fakhar Zaman a go. It's not going to make any difference."
Pakistan's batting has let them down in both of their fixtures. While they registered a decent total of 159 against India in their opening encounter, the side failed to chase down Zimbabwe's below-par target of 131, suffering a heartbreaking one-run loss.
They will look to bring their campaign back on track by securing their maiden victory in their next fixture. Pakistan are set to take on the Netherlands in the 29th match of the T20 World Cup 2022. The game will be played at the Perth Stadium on Sunday, October 30.
"It's a matter of pride and self-respect for them" - Aakash Chopra on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been targeted by many for their flop show at the T20 World Cup 2022. Despite their poor form, Chopra believes that the star batters will continue to play at the top of the order.
The 45-year-old mentioned that both Babar and Rizwan will have to turn things around since it has now become a matter of self-respect. He predicted that the side would struggle if the two fail to deliver yet again.
Chopra added:
"Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will continue to open, and now it's a matter of pride and self-respect for them. But the fact is that they haven't been able to score runs. If these two don't fire, this team won't do well."
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Notably, Babar has scores of 0 and four so far in the competition. Rizwan, who is ranked No.1 in the ICC rankings for batters in T20Is, is yet to fire with the bat, scoring four and 14 against India and Zimbabwe, respectively.