Babar Azam Slow Innings Cost 1st Match Against New Zealand
In the highly anticipated opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 60 runs at the National Stadium in Karachi. New Zealand demonstrated complete dominance, both with the bat and the ball. This win was a joyful moment for New Zealand but painful for Pakistan, the host nation, as they lost the first match on home soil. Let’s look at the Babar Azam Slow Innings Cost 1st Match Against New Zealand.
Following this defeat, they faced significant criticism from fans, particularly aimed at star batter Babar Azam, who scored a slow 64 runs off 90 balls in their innings.
Did Babar Azam’s Slow Knock Cost Pakistan the Game?
Babar Azam is a key batsman for Pakistan, often providing stability for the team. His ability to keep the innings going and rotate the strike is crucial. However, in this match against New Zealand, his slow play raised concerns.
Facing New Zealand’s strong bowling attack, Babar had difficulty scoring during the innings. He seemed to focus more on staying in than being aggressive, which meant he used too many balls without getting enough runs.
In limited-overs cricket, especially in high-pressure situations, a batsman needs to pick up the pace when needed. His partner, Fakhar Zaman, also played conservatively, but Babar’s lack of timely boundaries caused the required run rate to rise.
As the number of overs decreased, it became harder to chase the target, and Pakistan’s innings lost momentum. In the end, despite Babar’s decent contribution, his failure to accelerate, along with other middle-order failures, made it tough for Pakistan.
In conclusion, along with Babar Azam’s performance, the poor display from the bowling unit is also a key reason for the loss. Despite taking a few wickets, the Pakistani bowlers were unable to secure crucial breakthroughs for the team and conceded too many runs, which ultimately cost them the match.
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