Aoba Tanaka 
The aftermath of New Zealand’s victory over Pakistan in the third T20I has ignited familiar debates surrounding Pakistan’s approach to T20 cricket. While Babar Azam, Pakistan’s skipper, defended his team’s batting performance, others, like Shadab Khan, stressed the need for “impactful innings” – a factor that seemed to elude Pakistan in their recent defeat.
Posting a total of 178, Babar Azam deemed Pakistan’s batting effort commendable, particularly on what he acknowledged as an excellent batting pitch. Despite a middle-overs slowdown, Babar maintained that Pakistan caught up eventually, falling just ten runs short of their target. However, the absence of Mohammad Rizwan due to injury disrupted Pakistan’s momentum, complicating their batting strategy.
The slowdown in question occurred post-powerplay, a phase where Pakistan’s scoring rate faltered once Saim Ayub was dismissed. Babar Azam and Rizwan’s partnership yielded just 59 runs in 50 balls, stalling Pakistan’s momentum. Shadab Khan’s late onslaught alongside Irfan Khan salvaged Pakistan’s innings, albeit falling short of their intended total.
While Pakistan’s head coach, Azhar Mahmood, admitted they were “15 to 20 runs short,” he highlighted the importance of individual performances, citing Mark Chapman’s impactful innings for New Zealand as a game-changer.
In the midst of Pakistan’s batting conundrum, Shadab Khan emerged as a beacon of hope, scoring a crucial 41 off 20 balls. Despite being shuffled in the batting order, Shadab emphasized the significance of impactful innings in T20 cricket, signaling a potential shift in Pakistan’s approach.
As Pakistan reflects on their defeat, the need for balance between consistency and impactful performances becomes apparent. With Babar Azam and Shadab Khan leading the charge, Pakistan aims to rectify their shortcomings and bounce back stronger in future encounters, embracing the dynamism of T20 cricket.
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