In a candid analysis, former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has raised significant concerns about the team’s apprehension over strike rates, attributing it to their disappointing 4-1 loss against New Zealand in the recently concluded five-match T20I series.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Raja questioned the basis of the prevailing fear of strike rate within the team’s think tank, particularly given the team’s limited options. He stressed the importance of new players adopting a risk-aware batting style to improve their strike rates.
The phobia of strike rate that has gripped the think tank of this team is something I don’t understand. It’s not clear to me on what basis they have developed this fear of strike rate when you know that your options are limited. Even the new players don’t seem to understand that they need to give themselves a chance and develop a somewhat risk-free batting style to improve their strike rate, because good teams will put pressure on you and get you out,” remarked Ramiz Raja.
Underscoring the crucial role of partnerships in any format of the game, Raja emphasized the need for players to play smartly and adapt to the match situation for their development.
“Partnerships are a fundamental aspect, whether it is any format of the game, they remain the same. The benefit of partnerships is that playing intelligently, keeping the situation in mind, and assessing it is how players are made. In a way, in this circuit, game awareness is required, and you need to harness your potential to understand what you can or cannot do,” he elaborated.
While praising Saim Ayub’s efforts during a low-scoring phase, Raja expressed confidence concerns and questioned the undefined role of Azam Khan. He advocated for a balanced approach, combining aggressive hitting with strategic adaptability based on the match situation.
Saim Ayub is a great example where he attempted to take off in the phase where he wasn’t scoring, he tried to change the game, but then his confidence shattered. Similarly, there’s Azam Khan; his role is not yet defined for me, and I don’t understand whether he’s just hitting sixes in the middle order or if he needs to take his batting forward while keeping the situation in mind. These players are wasting their potential,” concluded the 61-year-old cricket analyst.
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