Pakistan will start their preparation for the T20 World Cup 2024 as they play a five-match series against hosts New Zealand to be played from 12th January onwards. Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan have done brilliantly as the opening pair in the T20I format.
Former Pakistan chairman Ramiz Raja says that they should not break the opening partnership of Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan in the T20I format. Saim Ayub and Mohammed Rizwan will likely open the innings in the first T20I match at Auckland.
“I wouldn’t agree [with the decision of splitting Babar and Rizwan]. Pundits across the international fraternity take the name of Babar and Rizwan together as an opening pair. That’s because we have been consistent. From the pool we had available, we picked these two. If you are averaging 40-45 with a strike rate of 128-130, and you’re providing starts, and are fighting it out in the big games, I believe there’s not much to be gained by changing things up,” said Raja.
Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan have 2400 runs as the opening pair in the T20I format but have the least with strike rates as T20I openers. Saim Ayub performed brilliantly during the Pakistan Super League and Caribbean Premier League last season.
Saim Ayub was the second leading run-getter in the 2023 edition of CPL with 478 runs with an average of 43.45. His performance with the bat helped Guyana Amazon Warriors clinch the CPL title for the first time. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been appointed as the captain of the T20I squad and will be tested during the 5-match T20I series against New Zealand in New Zealand.
Cant Do an Experiment Going Into the World Cup – Ramiz Raja
According to Ramiz Raja, the Pakistan team can’t experiment ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 to be played in the West Indies and the United States of America.
Pakistan have been clubbed with arch-rivals India, Ireland, United States of America and Canada. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the Super 8 stage.
“You can’t go into a World Cup in an experimental stage, particularly if you don’t have options. If you have created options, then great. I still believe big teams have a solid opening pair, a solid wicketkeeper, and a solid opening bowling pair,” said Raja.
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