Wasim Akram asks stern questions to Pakistan batting coach Mohammed Yousuf on team’s batting failure
Wasim Akram, Mohammed Yousuf (Source: Twitter)
Pakistan were steamrolled by England in the sixth T20I at Gaddafi stadium, Lahore on Friday. The visitors chased down the target of 170 in just 14.3 overs with opener Philip Salt smashing a brilliant unbeaten 88 off just 41 deliveries. Captain Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan with an unbeaten 87 but didn’t get much support from the other batters in the lineup.
After the match, Pakistan’s batting coach Mohammad Yousuf was invited in the studio to discuss the game alongside legendary former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram. The former seamer talked to him about the constant failures in the middle order using an example of England’s Ben Duckett.
“Ben Duckett doesn’t let the spinners settle. He hits everywhere. If I play against Pakistan, I would know which batsman would target which area. They aren’t as versatile. They don’t even try. I’m not asking them to be a 360-degree player, at least try 180. Do you practice such shots? And if you do, why aren’t they applying?” Akram asked the Pakistan batting coach.
Yousuf replied that there have been efforts to ensure that the Pakistan batters, particularly in the middle order, become more versatile in their stroke-playing. The Pakistan batting coach also revealed that he stands behind the batters as they take on the spinners in the nets, and suggests them a number of aggressive shots.
“I’m trying to. I talk to Saqlain bhai every day about making our batters play on all sides of the ground because that doesn’t give bowlers much of an option. In nets, we have planned about this. When batters play spinners, I stand behind and suggest our batsmen a number of different shots. When we used to play, one of our players knew where the ball would come,” Yousuf said.
“I keep talking to them in the nets about playing reverse-sweep, or a simple-sweep. They also try in the nets. Recently against West Indies, Khushdil attempted reverse-sweep; even here, he took on Moeen Ali. So, we are trying. I don’t know if the people before me did this as well, but I keep trying,” the former Pakistan batter insisted.
After England’s win on Friday, the seven-match T20I series is levelled at 3-3 with the final game scheduled to be played on Sunday.
