NEW DELHI: Former
Pakistan
captain
Misbah-ul-Haq
has weighed in on the discussions surrounding current skipper
Babar Azam
's performance in T20 cricket, stressing the significance of adapting to match situations and maintaining an optimal
strike rate
.
With the
T20 World Cup
looming in June, Misbah highlighted the need for Babar to adjust his batting approach according to the team's requirements.
Misbah commended Babar's recent innings of 75 off 42 balls against Ireland in the third T20I, showcasing his ability to play explosive knocks when needed.
Speaking on Star Sports, Misbah emphasized the importance of Babar's role as a leader and his capability to shift gears in
modern-day T20 cricket
.
"We saw, he [Babar] improved his strike rate against Ireland. Hopefully, he will bat like that when the team requires that sort of an innings from him. If an anchor role is required, then anchor it is. But you have to be potentially ready to play at 160-170 or even a strike rate of 200 if the team needs it. It will be an important thing for Babar to not bat at 130-140 strike rate if the team is chasing 200," Misbah stated.
Acknowledging the pressure faced by players, Misbah emphasized the importance of mental strength and resilience in handling criticism and external expectations. He highlighted the ability of top cricketers to channel criticism into motivation and use it as fuel to perform better on the field.
"Outside noise does affect a player, but good players, who are mentally strong, top cricketers in the world, they take motivation from criticism. They write down those noises that yes, I have to answer them on the ground. Somehow, they take motivation from those voices and criticism," Misbah elaborated.
As Pakistan prepare for the T20 World Cup, Misbah's insights underline the importance of Babar Azam's adaptability and mindset in leading the team's batting lineup effectively, with the aim of achieving success in the upcoming tournament.
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