'We never tried hard in PSL to get Babar out' - Aaqib Javed goes blunt in criticizing Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for low strike rate

World Champion Pakistani bowler Aaqib Javed has shocked everyone with his blatant take on the batting style of current Pakistani skipper Babar Azam and star batter Mohammad Rizwan. Notably, both batters are currently in the first and second spots in the international T20I batters’ rankings.

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Both batters have scored a lot of runs in the shortest format of the game and also contributed in the totals scored by the Pakistani side. But apart from that, their strike rate is still under scrutiny. Many former cricketers and experts lashed out at the duo for their slow batting style.

Recently, Aaqib Javed slammed the current opening pair of Pakistan by questioning their capability to win the tournaments for the men in green.

These two openers are not going to win you tournaments - Aaqib Javed

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“These two openers are not going to win you tournaments. Take the two openers , the number one and number two players in the world. But such a player should know what to do. The vice-captain plays for 15 overs – starts playing when the asking rate is 8 and leaves after taking it to 17!” Aaqib was quoted as saying by NDTV.

“When we play against Karachi and we have a total of 180 or so, we have never tried too hard or wanted too badly to get Babar Azam out. Because he plays at his own pace and the required rate keeps increasing," added Javed

Later on, he also advocated for Fakhar Zaman to bat at the top of the order and to utilize his capability as an opener for the team in the T20 internationals.

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“By making Fakhar Zaman bat at No.3, beda-gark kar rahe hai (they are destroying him). Fakhar should open with one of these two (Babar and Rizwan),” he added later.

“You don’t want to give chances to those who can play. Shan run kar-kar k paagal ho chuka hai (he has been piling up runs like mad) but you don’t want to play him. There are other players who deserve a place. Taiyaab Tahir is a good performer. Then there is Agha Salman, performing in white-ball cricket,” the 50-year-old concluded.