In the opening six overs, India came out firing as Abhishek Sharma hammered two sixes and two fours within the first 13 deliveries he faced. With Shubman Gill also going on the attack, the scoreboard surged to 69 runs at the end of the powerplay. Watching from the commentary panel, former Pakistan captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik expressed disappointment over Pakistan’s bowling choices and tactical approach.
Misbah, speaking on PTV Sports, pointed out that Pakistan’s pacers strayed away from the ideal plan.
“The main weapon for a fast bowler is hard length. When Shaheen hit that length in the line of stumps at the body, Abhishek did give a bit of respect to them. But if it’s shorter or some width, then he hits them. He makes room also and hits,” Misbah explained.
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He further criticised Faheem Ashraf’s approach with the ball.
“I didn’t understand Faheem’s bowling. He kept mid-off up and bowled over the wicket, across him. We talk about matchups and it’s clear that you can’t bowl that across to Abhishek (on these pitches). The kind that ends up outside off stump. That too with an old ball. He will hit you. You have to try to come around the stumps and get the ball to finish on the stumps. Have protection there with deep midwicket square-leg. And do your variations from there. And Faheem was hit for boundaries over mid-off. That’s Abhishek’s strengths. He doesn’t leave that against the new ball, against 140kmph+ pace bowlers even.”
Turning his attention to spinner Abrar Ahmed, Misbah noted poor execution of plans.
“He bowled them in Abhishek’s zone. Where he could clear his front leg and hit it over midwicket or square-leg. And that too he bowled leg breaks in that line. He tried the googly very late and he got him out. All these mistakes if you do against a top-class batsman who is so clear that if the ball is in the zone, baahir hi jaana hai (Will clear the boundary) … He puts your main bowler under pressure and then after that your team can’t cope. It needs great planning. Saim Ayub got stuck. In 6 overs, when they score 69, then it gets difficult against this team. This was a batting pitch and the part-time spinners couldn’t do it. And you didn’t know what to do. Only Haris Rauf to an extent showed by taking a wicket or two but no one else could support him.”
Meanwhile, Shoaib Malik stressed that Pakistan needs to rely more on specialists rather than a mix of part-timers.
“You played with three genuine bowlers, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed. You didn’t even give one over to Mohammad Nawaz. So you have three main bowlers."
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"Shaheen is a good bowler but in the last 4 T20s against India, he has taken just one wicket. The management should have sense that he is the main new-ball bowler but give him some cushion to him, along with him. Else, how are you going to strike? If your strike bowler has one wicket in the last 4 T20s, and you are playing with bits and pieces players. Play specialists, have one allrounder. Only specialists can win you big game pressure. Name one captain in the world when under pressure, who gives the ball to allrounder, they will bring your main specialist bowlers.”
Malik also highlighted flaws in the batting display. “You have played 40 consecutive balls at one phase without a boundary. Then you have played 50 dot balls today. Then your opener Farhan who made 50, scored only 7 runs in his next 11 balls.”
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