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'Both Bowling and Batting Are..'- Babar Azam Downplays Any Concerns Ahead of World Cup

image-lne6spy9Babar had a fruitful run in the warm-up games [AP]

Despite a challenging run, first in the Asia Cup and then during the two warm-up games of this year's World Cup 2023, Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, emphasises that every player in his team is stepping up and embracing their responsibilities.

While Pakistan batters scored over 300, with skipper Babar contributing handy runs, bowlers conceded many runs as Pakistan failed to secure a win in either of the two warm-up fixtures against New Zealand and Australia. 

Despite knowing these facts, Babar remains optimistic about his players ahead of their first game of the 2023 World Cup against the Netherlands in Hyderabad on October 6.

Babar highlighted that both batting and bowling are strengths of the Pakistan team. He praised the consistent performance of their batters throughout the lineup and noted that every player is taking responsibility. 

In terms of bowling, he emphasised that Pakistan's fast bowlers have traditionally been strong. Still, even their spinners have shown promise in recent matches in India, particularly in taking wickets during the middle overs.

“Both bowling and batting are our strengths. Our batters have been performing from the top-order down to the lower-order. Every player is stepping up and taking responsibility," Babar told PCB Digital on the eve of the Pak-Ned match.

"In bowling, our fast bowling has always been our strength, but even our spinners are showing promise. Since we have come to India, we have seen our spinners take wickets in the middle overs, which is a good sign. We will try and keep this momentum going,”  he added.

While Pakistan is considered one of the World Cup contenders and enters the tournament as favourites, their recent form has raised concerns. 

Issues within the team include challenges in the spin bowling department and the opening pair, as well as the absence of Naseem Shah, a setback for the pace bowling department.

Despite calls from various quarters to drop Shadab Khan due to his recent poor performances, his role as vice-captain suggests he is likely to play against the Netherlands in the World Cup opener. 

Pakistan faces the task of addressing these issues and finding their best form as they embark on their World Cup campaign.