NEW DELHI: After Pakistan's seven-wicket loss to England in the fourth T20I at Kennington Oval, former cricketer
Shoaib Malik
suggested that skipper
Babar Azam
should bat at number three.
Babar scored 36 runs off 22 balls with a strike rate of 163.64, hitting 5 fours and 1 six. Malik, on his official X account, acknowledged the tough series and emphasized the need for a batsman who can rotate the strike in the middle overs, suggesting Babar as the best option.
He also encouraged Azam Khan and Shadab Khan to maintain their confidence as vital players for the team.
Malik wrote: "Tough series! Remember: we've been in tough spots before & came out stronger! IMO Babar should bat at no 03! We need someone in the middle overs to rotate strike, you are our best option. Azam & Shadab, you two are vital for our team, don't lose confidence, play with heart, you are match winners. Going into the World Cup, keep your morale high, we've got this."
In the match, England chose to field first. Babar Azam (36 off 22) and Mohammed Rizwan (23 off 16) started strong, but
Adil Rashid
(2/27) and Moeen Ali (1/23) applied pressure, reducing Pakistan to 86/5.
Contributions from Usman Khan (38 off 21) and Iftikhar Ahmed (21 off 18) helped Pakistan reach 157/10 in 19.5 overs. England's bowlers Mark Wood (2/35) and
Liam Livingstone
(2/17) also performed well.
In the chase, England's openers Phil Salt (45 off 24) and
Jos Buttler
(39 off 24) dominated, making 78 runs in the powerplay. Despite a brief fightback by Haris Rauf (3/38), Jonny Bairstow (28* off 16) and Harry Brook (17* off 14) finished the match in 15.3 overs, securing a seven-wicket win for England.
(Inputs from ANI)
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