Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the intent of Pakistan batsman Babar Azam after the Pakistani opener played a scratchy knock of 64 runs off 90 balls during hosts Pakistan’s 60-run loss against New Zealand in the opening match of Champions Trophy in Karachi on Wednesday earlier this week. Azam, who got his 35th ODI half-century in the match, could only add 12 runs off 27 balls in the first ten overs during the 321-run chase and Ashwin took a dig at the former Pakistani batsman.
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“I want to say one thing about Babar Azam is a very talented cricketer. But people should not get angry that I have criticized him. Yesterday also, he played a fantastic cover drive. But, the result of the entire game cannot be made by one cover drive. It has to be played completely. I understand that if a batsman is out of form or gets out because it’s a sport. I don’t know how to phrase it. But where was his intent? Did he keep it at home? I don’t know what he did,” shared Ashwin while speaking on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat.
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Chasing New Zealand’s total of 320 runs, the Mohammad Rizwan led Pakistan team made a slow start as opener Saud Shakeel departed with the scoreboard reading 8 for 1 in 3.4 overs. Azam and Rizwan would then score 14 runs in the next 6.2 overs followed by Rizwan’s dismissal. Pakistan could cross the 50-run mark in the 16th over and Azam and Fakhar Zaman could only add 19 runs in the next five overs bowled by spinners Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips before Zaman was dismissed. Azam was then joined by Salman Agha, who then played a knock of 42 runs off 28 balls. Till the time Salman Agha came to bat, the score did not move at all. I agree that if the ball is seaming or there is swing, then it’s okay. The wicket was a bit difficult as the ball was spinning a bit but it was staying low. There were two off-spinners bowling and Babar Azam did not try to hit one single ball by coming forward. He came forward on the wrong ball. When Bracewell and Phillips were bowling by keeping one short square leg, he did not play lap sweep against those bowlers. I was having a doubt in my mind whether he is playing because of confidence or he does not have shots like sweep, reverse sweep and not playing cut well. He was only playing cover drive,” Ashwin added.
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Ashwin also questioned why Babar did not take risks against Bracewell and Phillips. While Azam fell in the 34th over, Khushdil Shah’s 49-ball 69 made sure that Pakistan reached a total of 260 runs. “Fakhar Zaman was playing two spinners. Till the time Fakhar Zaman was playing, Mitchell Santner did not come to bowl. Zaman was taking risks with an injured muscle but Babar was not taking risks. I don’t know where it was the team’s plan or Babar’s plan to play the sheet anchor role. But I was genuinely disappointed. After all that happened, Pakistan made 260. All credit to Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah,” Ashwin said.
