In all fairness, Pakistan cricket fans are all too familiar with the agony of being on the other side of a batting collapse. Pakistan’s batting has been below par. The Men in Green have had fleeting moments of brilliance along their schedule, but have generally struggled with a clear authority and dominance in a batting display. Be it a poor start, poor shot selection, or whatever else, the players have the problem in mind, and Pakistan cricket fans can clearly see the problem occurring.
The Top-Order Conundrum
One player reflects “fragile” Pakistan captaincy more than any other – that is a concern for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s status in any world XI, but meaningfully enough, the team’s leaning so much on them is borderline frightening. When they don’t come through, all of a sudden, the rest of the batting line-up looks very much at the mercy of events as well. There are also difficulties with young guns like Saim Ayub, too.
Wasim Jaffer raised this issue when he asked if Pakistan should stay with Ayub at the top or look to trial any number of options, e.g., Hassan Nawaz or Fakhar Zaman. This is not simply a game of names. This is about intent. The top order far too often plays like a scared Rabbit, eats a lot of balls, and puts even more pressure on the middle order by leaving them to deal with high scoreboard pressure.
Spin, Spin, and More Spin
Here’s the thing—Pakistan’s batters aren’t just struggling against high pace or swing; they’re being undone by spinners, too. And with Asia Cup conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi offering plenty of turn, that’s a nightmare scenario. Jaffer rightly pointed out that whether Pakistan faces Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh, they’ll be tested by spin from ball one.
Just look at recent games: Pakistan’s middle order has found it tough to rotate strike, often getting bogged down against quality spin. Dot balls pile up, panic sets in, and rash shots follow—it’s a familiar story. Unless someone in the middle order learns to anchor against spin while keeping the scoreboard ticking, Pakistan will continue to crumble in these slow-burn contests. The irony? Pakistan has world-class spinners in its own ranks, but its batters can’t seem to handle the same challenge.
Technique, Temperament, and Tough Calls
One of the biggest problems, as Jaffer hinted, lies in technique and temperament. We’ve seen far too many airy shots, half-hearted drives, and poor shot selection under pressure. It’s not that Pakistan lacks talent—it’s that their batting discipline often deserts them in crunch moments.
The management is now wrestling with a difficult choice: do they continue to support the same players with the anticipation that they will find their form at the right time, or do they change the batting order in search of fresh impetus? The clock is ticking either way. The Super Fours will have no mercy, especially against the likes of India, who seem the more stable and balanced at that stage.
FAQs
- What did Wasim Jaffer say about Pakistan’s batting?
He said Pakistan’s batting hasn’t been convincing at all and needs major improvement.
- Why is Pakistan’s top order under scrutiny?
Because it heavily relies on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, while others lack consistency.
- What is Pakistan’s biggest challenge in the Asia Cup conditions?
Handling quality spin bowling from teams like Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
