Babar Azam Or Imam; Who Should Pakistan Drop In Next Champions Trophy Match?

Debashis Sarangi

Babar Azam and Imam failed vs India [Source: AP]Babar Azam and Imam failed vs India [Source: AP]

Pakistan had a torrid start to their second Champions Trophy match against India, as the Men in Blue pushed them on the back foot with two crucial strikes in quick succession. After Hardik Pandya got rid of Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq was run out, leaving Pakistan in a disarray. 

Why Should Pakistan Tinker With Their Opening Combination?

Saim Ayub's unfortunate injury opened the floodgates for Pakistan, as they were rocked by an adversity days before the Champions Trophy. Fakhar Zaman's injury only worsened the situation for the hosts, with Imam-ul-Haq receiving a surprise recall for the showpiece event. 

However, neither Babar nor Imam put an impactful performance against India in the high-octane clash in Dubai. Despite looking in rhythm, Babar managed only 23 runs, while Imam departed with just ten runs in his tally. 

The match against Bangladesh will anyways be a crucial game for Pakistan irrespective of this match's outcome. So, in order to resolve their opening woes, the Men in Green must think to replace one of these two batters, who are pretty much similar in their approach. 

What Are The Alternatives For Pakistan?

It's worth mentioning that Pakistan have Usman Khan in their Champions Trophy squad. Usman is a much more dynamic player than Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq and he can provide Pakistan with a rollicking start in the powerplay. 

Usman Khan has mostly played as a top-order batter in T20 cricket. Statistically, he has struck 983 runs at an average of 46.8 and a blistering strike rate of 141.8 in the first ten overs in 40 T20 innings. 

Although Usman hasn't played an ODI for Pakistan, he has enjoyed stellar success in List-A cricket, amassing 681 runs at an average of 75.66 and a strike rate of 117.61. 

Who Should Be Dropped If Pakistan Bring Usman In?

Criterion
Runs
Average/SR
Babar as opener in ODIs17525/76.75
Imam as opener in ODIs
313848.28/82.56

As shown in the table above, Imam has significantly better numbers than Babar as an opener in ODI cricket. However, we must keep in mind that Babar is Pakistan's most-equipped batter when it comes to batting technique. Also, he has mostly batted at three; so, the Pakistan management should consider demoting him to his preferred position rather than dropping him. 

In such a scenario, the focus will be on Saud Shakeel, who is currently playing as Pakistan's number three batter in the Champions Trophy. If Shakeel sustains his failure, the hosts should drop him and bring Usman Khan into the playing XI. This, in turn, will allow them to use Babar at a position which is best suited for him in ODIs.