Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Babar Azam remains central to Pakistan’s ICC T20 World Cup campaign, even if questions continue to swirl around his strike rate.
Babar’s place in the XI has come under scrutiny after Pakistan’s two wicket defeat to England, where he made 25 from 24 balls at No 4. His overall strike rate in T20 World Cup history now stands at 111.5, the lowest among specialist batters in the tournament’s history.
Vaughan, speaking about the handling of the situation by Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson, suggested there are wider realities at play.
“I admire overseas coaches that go and coach in Pakistan because I can only imagine what’s going on,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.
“But Babar Azam himself, I think Mike Hesson has dealt with it brilliantly because he clearly has to play Babar Azam, and he’s using him as an insurance policy. You lose two wickets; he’s your insurance. He comes in at number four, and he can just play.”
Vaughan believes conditions in Sri Lanka suit Babar’s tempo.
“In Sri Lanka, I think he’s absolutely perfect for those wickets because Sri Lanka so far has been 150-180, and I think Babar’s in that range. I think he’ll get Pakistan to a 160-170 score,” he said.
“But on a 200-day or a 210-day, Babar’s not going to get you there. I just don’t think he’s that kind of player anymore.”
He continued by pointing to the balance between cricket and politics within the setup.
“I do admire the way that Mike Hesson has probably played politics well, and it probably doesn’t give you the best chance of winning the World Cup. But I do feel on a pitch like we’ll find in Pallekele, I would want a Babar Azam in my team. Absolutely, because I want someone solid who can knock the spinners around. If he strikes at 125-130, that’s absolutely fine. You’ll need a cameo or two from two or three of the players around you, but I would want that consistent player in the middle of the innings. I think they’ve dealt with it right.”
“I personally would never want to go and be an overseas coach in Pakistan. I’ve spoken so much to Jason Gillespie when I went over there. So, it’s difficult. I just think Hesson and the team and the management, I think they’ve dealt with it perfectly. Absolutely perfect in what they’ve done,” he added.
Babar’s overall T20 World Cup record now stands at 640 runs in 23 matches at an average of 33.68, including five half centuries. His strike rate of 111.5 is lower than Mohammad Hafeez at 111.8, Kumar Sangakkara at 112.2 and Kane Williamson at 112.5.
In the ongoing tournament, Babar has 91 runs in six matches at an average of 22.75, further fuelling debate around his role in the side.