Babar Azam Faces Spin Challenge, Says Ramiz Raja in PAK vs ENG Match
The Pakistani captain lost his wicket to England’s Moeen Ali
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has expressed concerns about Babar Azam’s batting performance against spinners, following Pakistan’s second T20I against England in Birmingham on Saturday.
Babar, who looked set on the crease, faced difficulties against Moeen Ali’s spin bowling and was dismissed LBW after scoring 32 runs off 26 balls. His dismissal led to a series of wickets falling for Pakistan, preventing them from building a strong partnership.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramiz Raja highlighted Babar’s struggle against spin and emphasized the need for him to diversify his shots and improve his footwork against spinners.
“Babar Azam’s batting against spin is a problem. He was batting well against pace but whenever spinners come on, he becomes static, whether it is leg-spin or off-spin,” Raja commented.
“Either he has to play reverse sweep, sweep shot or switch hit against spin or he has to use his footwork and dominate the spinners because that domination factor ends as soon as a spinner comes [to bowl]. So, Babar needs to work a lot on this area.”
Ramiz Raja also praised England’s overall team strength, noting their power-hitters up to number 8 and a formidable bowling lineup including quality spinners and pacers like Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan.
“Playing against England here will not be easy in terms of winning as they have strong batsmen from the top order to the lower middle order. They also possess a well-rounded bowling attack with good spinners and pace options,” he added.
He further emphasized the need for Pakistan to adapt to modern T20 cricket by aiming for higher scores. “Pakistan can no longer settle for scores around 160; they need to aim for 180 or more, especially on pitches that are good for batting. In today’s game, scoring 180 runs is achievable without taking excessive risks.”
As Pakistan prepares for upcoming matches, including crucial fixtures in the T20 format, attention will be on Babar Azam’s response to these challenges and the team’s ability to adjust their strategies against strong opponents like England.
