Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra slammed Pakistan’s batting after they suffered a 61-run loss against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Sunday. Pakistan was bowled out for 114 runs after India posted an above-par score of 175 runs on the board on a tricky Colombo wicket.
Pakistan was left tottering at 34-4 in the Powerplay overs as their top four batters were dismissed cheaply. Only Usman Khan, who scored 44 runs off 34 balls, showed some resistance and none of the other batters could come up with any fight.
“More runs than this were successfully chased only once on this ground, and that year was 2018. When Pakistan came to bat, what was their thought process before coming? It seemed like they were chasing 250. They should have batted first 100-percent after winning the toss, but they didn’t do that. This team is known for self-goals, and it was a self-goal,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra pointed out that Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed while trying to play a shot, which is his weakness.
“Sahibzada Farhan, there are talks about the documentary, but he got out before the D of the documentary had come. The game plan we made yesterday about keeping the ball outside the off-stump, from where he drags the ball and gets out, and he got out there only,” he elaborated.
The renowned commentator praised Hardik Pandya, who returned with impressive figures of 2-16 in three overs he bowled.
“Hardik Pandya took the first and the last wickets. If the match is against Pakistan, you cannot keep Hardik Pandya out of the game. This thing is almost written in stone,” Chopra observed.
Meanwhile, Chopra said Babar Azam, who was dismissed for a seven-ball five, played a poor shot across the line against Axar Patel.
“Jasprit Bumrah first hit the pads and then said tata to Salman Ali Agha in the same over. Once the job was completed there, then they were chasing a shadow, and you cannot catch your shadow, and that was the situation. Babar Azam played an ordinary shot once again. He played across the line and the ball hit his stumps,” he said.
The former Delhi cricketer said Pakistan’s batting has no might and confidence.
“Usman Khan played well and Shadab Khan batted well for some time, but where is the might in the batting? Babar comes at No. 4, Usman at No. 5, and after that, Shadab, Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf. I am not humiliating anyone, but there is no might in this batting. This batting doesn’t give any confidence,” Chopra observed.
India will next take on the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.
