Pakistan got hammered in the 4th T20I against New Zealand, a result that translated into a barrage of uncensored criticism from all & sundry. The backlash that the team received was brutal. Severe criticism, coupled with the cries to bring Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan back, has made the atmosphere all the more hostile! No doubt, the loss was humiliating, but can we just hold off on the panic button for a second?? Ditching these young batters after a couple of rough games is absurd.
They need a proper shot, the same way Babar, Rizwan, and the old crew got years to figure things out, even though the team’s been stuck in a rut, particularly in the ICC tournaments and against top full strength sides.
Shaheen, Shadab and other freeloaders who’ve been getting picked without having done zilch, should surely get the boot, but budding youngsters like Hassan Nawaz, Omair Bin Yousuf, Muhammad Haris, Abdul Samad & Irfan Niazi need to be persisted with for a longer period of time.
Pakistan’s recent T20 track record with the big names hasn’t exactly been a fairy tale either. For the last five years, we’ve banked on Babar and Rizwan, despite an extremely mediocre (to put it mildly) record to show. We’re talking a final loss to England in 2022 and a total crash-and-burn in the 2024 group stage. Against full-strength teams like India, Australia, New Zealand, it’s been hit or miss – mostly miss. The batting’s too cautious, the plans too predictable, and we’ve seen the same old story play out despite giving those guys chance after chance. So why are we acting like they’re the only fix?
Now, take this New Zealand tour. We’ve got a fresh group of players. Hassan Nawaz, Muhammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Irfan Niazi, thrown into the deep end against a depleted, yet a strong Kiwi side on their home turf. Of course they’re gonna stumble! But the way people are piling on, you’d think they’ve had years to prove themselves!
Babar didn’t walk in smashing it day one. He debuted in 2016 and got time to grow. Rizwan? Same deal, years of chances before he clicked. Why can’t we cut these kids some slack and let them breathe?
The push to bring back Babar and Rizwan is all about their star power… Babar’s silky cover drives and Rizwan’s so called fighting spirit. But T20s, unfortunately, aren’t about one or two heroes; it’s a team game, and their magic hasn’t lifted Pakistan out of the mess.
Sticking with the young guns is about shaking things up. Sure, they youngsters will mess up sometimes as did Babar and Rizwan, but they’ve barely had a cup of tea in the side, let alone five years.
Pakistan cricket is at crossroads. Keep leaning on the same old faces, and we’re just signing up for more heartbreaks. Give these youngsters a real go, not just a handful of games and see what they’ve got.
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