Akmal warns Pakistan of tough competition in Asia Cup

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27th Aug, 2023. 10:14 pm
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Former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal has warned Pakistan’s batting lineup ahead of the Asia Cup 2023.
He highlighted the team’s vulnerability in the batting order, saying that they need to show more responsibility and score big runs.
Akmal also pointed out that the lower order had to step in to achieve the target during the second ODI, which is not a good sign for the team.

Former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has issued a cautionary message to Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam and his teammates in preparation for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. He highlighted the vulnerabilities in their batting lineup.

In a recent context, Pakistan engaged in a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, emerging victorious with a 3-0 win. However, their batting performance remained a concern.

In the third ODI, Pakistan secured a convincing 59-run win, posting a total of 268 while batting first, with contributions from Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Nonetheless, the team faced consistent wicket losses, a trend that Akmal finds unsettling.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Akmal addressed Pakistan’s ongoing batting struggles, emphasizing the need for greater responsibility from the batters.

“In modern-day cricket, every batsman has to play positive. If we can’t score 300 against this team, can we do that when we face India in the Asia Cup? It becomes pretty difficult,” Kamran said on his official YouTube channel.

“It was a good practice opportunity for Pakistan team, we got a chance in two games to bat first and put on a big score. The batters should’ve shown more responsibility.”

Kamran Akmal emphasized that the batsmen should have successfully concluded the game themselves, preventing the situation where the lower order had to step in to achieve the target during the second ODI.

“Yes, you scored 300 in the second game. But batters should’ve finished the game. It was a lower-order who finished the run-chase for you. It’s not a good sign for Pakistan team.”

On Saturday, August 26th, Pakistan achieved the top position in the ODI rankings by sweeping Afghanistan in a series.

Earlier this year, Pakistan had also claimed the number-one rank – a milestone they hadn’t reached since the International Cricket Council formally established the rankings in 2005 – following a successful series against New Zealand.

Akmal warns Pakistan of tough competition in Asia Cup

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