Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has eased the warmth surrounding Babar Azam, who has come beneath heavy criticism for his sluggish batting in the course of the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup.
Faf du Plessis helps Babar Azam amid harsh criticism
Babar Azam is having a tricky time within the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup. The previous Pakistan captain has scored simply 66 runs in 5 matches, averaging 22 runs at a strike charge of simply 115.78. In trendy T20 cricket, these numbers are merely not sufficient.
The sport has modified as groups now assault from the primary over within the shorter format of the sport. Powerplay strike charges attain 160, 170 and even 200, however Babar has not been capable of sustain with that pace. In actual fact, the right-handed hitter at the moment holds an undesirable file.
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His strike charge of 86.17 is the bottom amongst gamers who confronted greater than 200 balls within the energy play within the T20 World Cup. Pakistan supervisor Mike Hesson has already moved him to No. 4, and he’s at the moment getting used as an auxiliary batsman within the center order moderately than the principle attacker.
Somebody like Babar – we’ve recognized for a really very long time that he is likely one of the greatest gamers on this planet – Faf du Plessis
Spin bowling has emerged as Babar Azam’s greatest nightmare. Most of his dismissals this yr have been in opposition to spinners. His scoring charge in opposition to spin is about 100. However Faf du Plessis believes the story just isn’t over and says all nice gamers undergo levels the place they need to make changes.
The Proteas star identified that T20 cricket is progressing in a short time, particularly by way of strike charge, however admitted that Babar is way behind different gamers by way of strike charge.
ESPNCricinfo quoted Faf du Plessis as saying, “To start with, I feel all nice gamers evolve at totally different factors of their profession. A participant like Babar, we have recognized for a really very long time that he is the most effective gamers on this planet. I feel T20I cricket has come a great distance, particularly by way of strike charge, however he realized he was a bit behind in that space.”
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Faf du Plessis suggests sensible function moderately than massive modifications
He steered Pakistan assume tanks to discover a appropriate function for Babar Azam as a substitute of forcing him to play like an influence hitter. Du Plessis feels that on sluggish rotating pitches, Babar can nonetheless be very helpful as he can reduce dot balls. He can spin his strikes.
Nevertheless, on flat wickets the place groups are chasing a complete of over 200, Pakistan wants extra firepower up high however feels a strike charge of 120-130 can nonetheless be helpful.
Du Plessis mentioned: “So with a participant like Mike Hesson, what he is making an attempt to do is use one of the simplest ways to get him again into the sport. So that they’ve discovered a job for him, particularly on slower pitches. Once you come to flat wickets, that form of function is not as necessary anymore.”
He concluded by saying: “So on this venue, beneath particular circumstances the place there may be quite a lot of spin, having a middle-over participant like him to verify he anchors the innings may very well be of nice worth,” he concluded.
