"Our middle order in ODIs has been a cause of concern" - Babar Azam on brittle Pakistan middle order
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has opened up on his team's plans and preparations ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. The 26-year-old also made comments about the waning form of the Pakistan one-day side.
Azam was addressing the media ahead of the limited-overs games against New Zealand on Thursday. The Pakistan skipper expressed his exact sentiments as to why some changes to the side were necessary after their last ODI against England. Speaking about their setup in ODIs against New Zealand, Azam said:
"Our middle order in ODIs has been a cause for concern but this time we've put emphasis on selecting a lot of seasoned players in the team. So this would be an opportunity for them to avail this chance."
Some of the changes in the Pakistan team have been orchestrated by the recent 3-0 loss to England in a series contested in the U.K. The serious drubbing by a second-string England team has raised questions about the path that the Pakistan one-day side is on under Babar Azam's leadership.
Speaking to the press about the vision that is being instilled after the new changes in the Pakistan cricket board, the captain said:
"The conversations with Rameez Bhai have been very positive and we've had a discussion based upon his vision for Pakistan cricket and we will look forward to carrying it."
The Pakistan cricket board recently welcomed a new chairman in Rameez Raja following an examination of affairs in the administration by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. The changes have been praised by a lot of former Pakistan cricketers.
Consistency is the key to make it to the Pakistan side: Babar Azam
In wake of some of the recent changes in the team owing to the drubbing that the team suffered, the Pakistan skipper spoke about how the selection process works. On being asked about the players selected in the team for the ODIs against New Zealand, Azam said:
"The main prerequisite for making the cut in the Pakistan team is to be consistent in your performances. The selected players need to show their calibre and cement their spots."
Pakistan will face New Zealand in 3 ODIs and 5 T20is in a home series. The 5 T20s will be very important for Pakistan to gauge their chances for the upcoming World Cup. The Men in Green Pakistan are the favorites in home conditions against a New Zealand side missing some of its key players.