- Razzaq criticized Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s partnership.
- He disagreed with dropping Fakhar Zaman.
- Pakistan has won two out of three matches in the World Cup.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has openly criticized the performance of current captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan during their partnership against India in the ICC World Cup on October 14 in Ahmedabad.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan put together an 82-run partnership in 17.1 overs, but both were dismissed when they seemed well-set, with Babar scoring 50 and Rizwan scoring 49.
Razzaq expressed his disappointment by saying, “I won’t consider it a partnership. They were not playing fearless cricket. Despite having extensive experience and holding the number one ranking, they seem to lack quality shots. Players really need to step up and improve their game.”
Razzaq also expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision to drop Fakhar Zaman, stating, “When Abdullah Shafique scored a century in his debut match, I was against that change. Players deserve support and confidence in international cricket. Batters like Fakhar shouldn’t be substituted. The management should allow him to play throughout this World Cup.”
Despite the criticism, Pakistan has managed to secure two wins out of three matches in the tournament, with their only defeat coming against arch-rivals India. Pakistan’s remaining matches in the ICC World Cup include:
- October 20 – vs Australia in Bengaluru
- October 23 – vs Afghanistan in Chennai
- October 27 – vs South Africa in Chennai
- October 31 – vs Bangladesh in Kolkata
- November 4 – vs New Zealand in Bengaluru (Day match)
- November 11 – vs England in Kolkata
The day matches will start at 10:00 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST), while all other matches will be day-night fixtures starting at 01:30 pm PST. If Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals, they will play in Kolkata.
Additionally, if India qualifies for the semi-finals, they will play in Mumbai, unless they are up against Pakistan, in which case the match will be held in Kolkata.
The Pakistan squad for the ICC World Cup 2023 includes:
- Babar Azam (c)
- Abdullah Shafique
- Fakhar Zaman
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Usama Mir
- Haris Rauf
- M Wasim Jnr
- Hasan Ali
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Saud Shakeel
- Salman Ali Agha
Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan
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