Babar Azam does not appear comfortable against spin: Rameez Raja

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New Delhi. Former Pakistan cricketer turned commentator Rameez Raja has said that Pakistan captain Babar Azam does not feel comfortable facing spin bowling at the beginning of his innings and advised him to bounce back with a ‘century’ later.

In seven matches of the ICC World Cup 2023 so far, Babar has scored 216 runs at an average of 30.85, with three half-centuries in his name.

Out of seven innings, he has been dismissed five times by spinners Colin Ackerman, Mehdi Hasan Miraz, Noor Ahmed, Tabraiz Shamsi and Adam Zampa.

Rameez, while speaking to Star Sports, suggested Babar to play sweep shots to counter the spinners on turning tracks, “If you want to find fault in his batting, his batting against spin when he starts the innings. Batting takes place. “He is not as fluent against spin as he is when he is facing pace,” Rameez said.

”I don’t know whether it’s his footwork or whether it’s in his mind, or whether he doesn’t have a lot of options because he doesn’t play sweep shots. On slow pitches you need to play sweep shots.

Babar’s struggle against the spinners is a big blow for the Pakistan team in the ongoing World Cup. Rameez feels that getting out like this reduces the confidence of the batsman.

He said, “Whenever he has been aggressive, he has also been out. He hit a strong six against Afghanistan and then got out at the wrong time.

“He just needs to work hard to get to a century where he faces pace, spin and feels comfortable with his role,” Rameez said. He is not completely out of touch, he is still middleing the ball, but it is like when he starts his innings against spin, he looks a little nervous.”

Pakistan moved up to fifth on the points table with their third win of the tournament by seven wickets against Bangladesh on Tuesday with their semi-final qualification still intact.

Pakistan’s next match will be against New Zealand on Saturday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

–IANS

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