T20 World Cup 2022: Pakistan over dependent on Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan: Sanjay Bangar

Pakistan are too reliant on Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam.

Bengaluru, October 29: Pakistan are struggling to stay afloat in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 currently under Down Under after back-to-back defeats to India and Zimbawe in the Super 12 round and former India batting coach believes they are paying the price for over dependancy on the Mohammed Rizwan-Babar Azam duo.

Hopes were pinned on Pakistan's famed opening duo consisting skipper Azam and wicketkeeper/batter Rizwan with both failing to get going in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

The opening combination were never short of disturbing the Indian bowling department in their tournament opener nor did they come close to creating any sort of impact in the crucial Super 12 match against Zimbabwe.

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With a lot of run scoring dependent on Babar and Rizwan, the others have to come to the party if Pakistan have to progress ahead and now are dependent on the results of other teams.

Not ideal

Speaking on Star Sports (the official broadcaster of ICC T20 World Cup 2022) show Cricket Live, Bangar spoke on how Pakistan is over-dependent on Babar and Rizwan to score runs for the team and that the middle order batsmen too need to star firing.

"Having watching them since the Asia Cup, we all know the over dependency of Pakistani batting on Babar and Rizwan. The moment these two players get out, it sends shivers in the dressing room and in the dugout and that's never an ideal sign."

Handling pressure

"All credit to Iftakhar and Shan, because even in the first game against India, they sort of held their innings together and brought Pakistan in the game, having lost their main batters cheaply.

"I feel, at times, having not to play together during practice matches, dismissed in the first game and again in the second game means that the middle order, which hasn't been firing for them, has to do bulk of the work and it's never an ideal scenario for any team wherein the middle order is so freckle that they can't handle the pressure so quickly."

Reality bites

Bangar further spoke on the pressure that Pakistan must be going through having lost both their games,

"Well, they will've to really stare at the reality now. What's the outcome? Yes, a lot of results have to go their way. Maybe, a couple of rain affected matches can also be the saviour for them, but they've sort of let things out of their control because the game against Zimbabwe was well within their grasp."

Tough games

"There were so many occasions wherein they could've cruised to the target quite easily. In the sense that, Shan Masood dismissal or Shadab Khan's dismissal, even till the very last over, the way Wasim and Nawaz were playing at that point. Nawaz is indecision at times, was questionable because he had spent a lot of time till that point and he could have finished the game."

Pakistan's next game is against the Netherlands at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday (October 30).