In order to increase their top-order firepower against New Zealand on Wednesday in the T20 World Cup semifinal, former captain Shahid Afridi advised Pakistani captain Babar Azam to step aside and hand Mohammad Haris the opening position.
The Netherlands pulled off a significant shock by defeating South Africa on Sunday, saving Pakistan, the 2009 winners, from elimination.
Although Mohammad Rizwan and Babar entered the competition as the top two T20 batsmen, neither has reached a fifty in the competition thus far. While Babar, Pakistan’s top batsman, has a strike rate of 61.90, Rizwan has scored at a rate of one run per ball.
To beat New Zealand, who finished second last year, in the first semi-final in Sydney, both will need to step up their game. Thursday’s second semifinal in Adelaide will feature India vs. England.
Afridi, a former all-rounder, said on a private TV programme that Babar Azam “has to listen to suggestions.”
“With fielding limitations, we must employ Mohammad Haris. It’s time to move Babar Azam down to third.”
Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood, the middle-order hitters for Pakistan, should play with more purpose and aggression, according to Afridi.
“Iftikhar or Shan Masood are looking to strike the ball, and you can tell by the way they are posing that they are doing so. We require that sort of intent and cricket.
Why score a run-a-ball 30 or 35 if you can’t win the game after using up that many deliveries? he 42-year-old continued.