NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan batsman
Salman Butt
has expressed concerns over the team's batting order, particularly the opening three, following their defeat to Ireland in the first of three-match T20I series in Dublin.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt criticized the inconsistent opening combination, noting that the top three positions remain unsettled.
He questioned the decision to open with
Mohammad Rizwan
instead of
Babar Azam
, highlighting the lack of clarity in the batting lineup.
"When you look at the opening, a question arises that Babar had said while leaving that the time for experiments is over. But today, Rizwan came as an opener and Babar did not. This is another new thing, which means that the top 3 are still not sure. Saim (Ayub) seems to be constant, while the other two are going up and down. Whereas the bigger question was on Saim's form. One thing is not certain, who will be the opener in the top three besides Saim," noted the former Pakistan batsman.
Furthermore, Butt also criticized
Fakhar Zaman
's slow strike rate, stating that Zaman often eats up a significant number of deliveries without making a substantial contribution.
He added, "The second thing is Fakhar Zaman's role in this team. It has been seen many times that first, he uses up a lot of balls and then tries to cover up. But on the day he doesn't cover up, he leaves a lot for others to cover up. Today also, he played 18 balls and made 20 runs. Considering his caliber, if he played 18 balls, he should have made 40-50 runs or at least 35 runs. Coming into the middle overs, Fakhar Zaman's strike rate should not be less than 180 in any way."
In the match, Ireland stunned Pakistan by five wickets, chasing down a target of 183. Curtis Campher's leg bye off the penultimate ball sealed the victory for the Irish.
Ireland's success was built on strong bowling and fielding performances. They engineered two run outs and took two impressive catches in the deep. Fast bowler Craig Young conceded only 27 runs and dismissed key batsmen Babar Azam and Azam Khan.
Ireland's batting was led by
Andy Balbirnie
, who scored 77 off 55 balls. Balbirnie and Harry Tector (36) provided a solid foundation for the chase. Despite losing Balbirnie in the 19th over, Campher's quick-fire 15 off seven balls led Ireland to a historic victory. They take on Pakistan in the second T20I on Sunday.
English (US) ·