The right-handed batter has scored 29, 23, and 10 runs in his last three ODIs.
Pakistan’s usual No.3 batter, Babar Azam was promoted up the order during the Tri-Series with New Zealand and South Africa. During this series, the right-handed batter returned with scores of 29, 23, and 10.
However, temporary head coach Aaqib Javed has backed this strategy. He believes Babar will adapt to his new role to play important knocks in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
“Our rationale behind the change was that if you look at the away series against South Africa, Babar Azam had to bat in the first over in all games. Then Saim got injured, and he had to open in Tests too. These pitches are not troubling the batters at the start, we wanted our best batter to make good use of the powerplay, that suits us more. So, I think, in these conditions, Babar should open and I am hopeful that he will play a big innings in important matches”, Javed said at the post-series press conference.
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Following Babar Azam opening the innings, Pakistan’s former player Basit Ali expressed his frustration on his YouTube channel. Basit feels that Babar was already struggling to score runs and the management has disrupted that further by changing his batting order.
“If you had won the tri-nation series, then your confidence level would have been high, every boy’s confidence level would have been high. Who is the one who told Babar Azam to open? I am surprised who he is. What crazy people are they? He was performing well at number three, scoring 50-70 against South Africa, but they stopped that too.”
Babar Azam has been enduring a lack of form since his last ODI century against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023.
The hosts suffered their second consecutive defeat against New Zealand yesterday (February 14) in Karachi. Pakistan will face the same opponent at the same stadium for the Champions Trophy 2025 opener on February 19.
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