T20 World Cup 2022: "Won both the powerplays" - Sunil Gavaskar highlights how Pakistan trumped New Zealand in semi-finals
Sunil Gavaskar believes Pakistan's spirited performances with both bat and ball during the powerplay overs were instrumental in their seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022.
Speaking to Aaj Tak, the Indian batting legend pointed out that Pakistan gained the upper hand by not losing a wicket in the powerplay while chasing a below-par target of 153.
The cricketer-turned-commentator lauded openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for their impressive batting exploits in the crucial tie.
Gavaskar explained:
"It is very important to win the powerplay in a T20 match. Pakistan won both the powerplays against New Zealand. While chasing a score like 152, it is important not to lose a wicket in the first six overs, it does not matter even if you score around 40 runs.
"New Zealand have pacers like Trent Boult and Tim Southee who can swing the ball. Had they bagged two wickets in the powerplay, Pakistan would have been under pressure. We must praise Babar and Rizwan for standing up when it mattered the most."
While both Babar and Rizwan were criticized by many for their underwhelming performances at the showpiece event, the two batters fired when it mattered the most. Pakistan's opening pair gave their team an ideal start to their run chase, scoring 55 runs from the first six overs.
Rizwan and Babar coming to the party at the right time for their team.
Their stunning 107-run partnership for the first wicket proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Kiwis as they were unable to power their way back into the contest post that. The Men in Green chased down the target comfortably with seven wickets to spare to advance to the final of the T20 World Cup 2022.
"They score more runs on Twitter than on the field" - Sunil Gavaskar takes a subtle dig at New Zealand players following their seven-wicket loss to Pakistan
Gavaskar further went on to say that New Zealand must look to revamp their team, highlighting how they have persisted with a set of players despite their inconsistency.
He also targeted several players for being more active on Twitter than on the field. While he did not name anyone, several fans believe that Gavaskar was referring to all-rounder Jimmy Neesham's social media activities.
The 73-year-old added:
"New Zealand elected to bat first in an attempt to put runs on the board to put pressure on Pakistan. But how many runs, is also a big question. They will have to take tough calls.
"There are players who haven't been scoring runs, yet they have cemented their places. I won't name anyone. But there are a few New Zealand players who have a big following on Twitter. They score more runs on Twitter than on the field."
Congratulations @TheRealPCB. Good luck in Melbourne. Scorecard | on.nzc.nz/3DVwDI4 #T20WorldCup https://t.co/pLo8t1XSpb
Notably, Neesham finished with 53 runs in five matches with an underwhelming average of 17.66. The swashbuckler remained unbeaten on 16 off 12 deliveries in the semi-final but failed to up the scoring rate when needed.