There are several things which is missing from Pakistan’s game at the moment at the Cricket World Cup. With losses against India and Australia, the Babar Azam-led side is struggling to keep up in the race to a semi-final spot the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023.
However, the Pakistan cricket team ended a long wait in the match against Afghanistan in Chennai on Monday. Pakistan succeeded in ending their 1,169-ball long streak of not hitting a sixer during the first powerplay in ODIs this year. The Men in Green accomplished this during their ICC Cricket World Cup match against Afghanistan at Chennai on Monday.
On the third ball of the team’s fifth over, Abdullah Shafique smashed Naveen-ul-Haq for a six. He hit another six later to make it two sixes during the first ten overs. This year Pakistan faced 1,202 balls in the first powerplay and scored 945 runs across 20 innings. Of these, 789 balls faced by Pakistan were dot balls, which shows that they did not score on over 65 per cent of balls in this phase of the match. Pakistan batters smashed 131 fours and two sixes in the first powerplay this year.
In all, Pakistan scored 536 out of their 945 runs through fours and sixes, with only 12 runs scored while the aerial route.
Pakistan star batter Imam-ul-Haq was asked about the lack of sixes from Pakistan ahead of the Afghanistan match. “Lot of talk about the top-order not hitting sixes. What is the secret behind not hitting sixes at this level and what’s the mindset? Is there a process? Is there a mindset that you have to unlock? What is it?” asked a reporter.
“Maybe we want to eat more proteins and not that much carbs. It’s just that there is nothing, we want to talk about it. It’s just that we dont really feel it if we are not hitting sixers or fours. It’s just that what are we doing for the team…if we are winning matches. Unfortunately, last two matches we did not play well. We have to accept it,” Imam ul Haq said.
He really did say this!! Unbelievable
Journalists asks Imam why Pakistani batsmen haven’t hit any sixes in the opening 10 overs in ODIs in the last year.
His response: maybe we should eat more protein and less carbs.
Awkward humour from a guy who can’t run a 3 on the field. pic.twitter.com/mfHk5Cwj7f
— Hamza (@Hamzakk) October 22, 2023
Imam Ul Haq said, “we’ve to eat more protein instead of carbs to start hitting some sixes”. pic.twitter.com/SHYpirVUOT
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 22, 2023
“May be we have to eat more proteins not that much carbs …”
– Imam ul Haq on question of top order not hitting SIXES pic.twitter.com/sKMX9IkW5c
— Basit Subhani (@BasitSubhani) October 22, 2023
Skipper Babar Azam struck a composed half-century before useful cameos by lower-order batters guided Pakistan to 282 for seven against Afghanistan in their World Cup match on Monday.
Opener Abdullah Shafique made 58 off 75 balls and Babar got 74 off 92 balls, but had it not been for the efforts of Iftikhar Ahmed and the returning Shadab Khan, Pakistan would have finished with far less than what they eventually achieved.
While Iftikhar smashed his way to a 27-ball 40, Shadab contributed a breezy 40 in 38 deliveries. Expecting a slow pitch, the Afghans moved in with four spinners. However, the track turned out to be better than expected. The Pakistani openers Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq (17) began on a cautious note and managed a 56-run stand.
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