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Despite Pakistan‘s convincing victory over Ireland in the final T20I match and eventually in the three-match series, concerns loom large in the Men in Green camp, particularly regarding their opening combination for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
Opening woes for Pakistan
Pakistan have faced challenges with their opening partnership in T20Is ever since the separation of the formidable duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan by the new team management. While Rizwan has retained his position as the opener, Babar was moved down to number three, with explosive Saim Ayub introduced at the top to inject pace into the innings. However, this tactical shift has not yielded the desired results, as Ayub’s performances with the bat have been lackluster.
A cause for concern
Ayub’s batting record in T20Is raises concerns for the Pakistan team management. Despite being given ample opportunities, Ayub has failed to make a significant impact, managing only 290 runs in 18 innings with a dismal average of around 16. Moreover, his strike rate of 130 falls short of modern T20 standards, further exacerbating the opening dilemma for Pakistan.
Also READ: T20 World Cup 2024: Misbah-ul-Haq explains why Virat Kohli always excels against Pakistan
Misbah ul Haq’s perspective: Ideal opening combination
Now former Pakistan captain Misbah Ul Haq has weighed in on the ideal opening combination for Pakistan in the upcoming global showpiece event. While fans and experts advocate for a reunion of Babar and Rizwan as openers, Misbah suggested persisting with the left hand-right hand style of playing. He emphasized the importance of a right-left combination at the top, believing that the contrasting styles of Babar or Rizwan and Ayub can complement each other effectively.
“I feel that the best opening combination, looking at the team, would be a right-left combination. That would be ideal. They are currently playing Saim Ayub, who is not delivering at the moment. I feel that different kinds of players – Saim on one end and Babar or Rizwan on the other end – can complement each other well,” Misbah was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
T20 World Cup 2024 journey and fixtures
Pakistan’s journey in the T20 World Cup 2024 will commence in Dallas with a match against co-host United States of America (USA) on June 6, followed by highly anticipated encounters against arch-rivals India on June 9 and Canada on June 12 in New York. Their final group-stage match against Ireland is scheduled for June 16 in Florida.
