The recent defeat of Pakistan against England in the second T20I in Birmingham has drawn sharp criticism from veteran cricketer Shoaib Malik. Malik scrutinized the team management’s decisions and the batting order, expressing his strong views on how the Men in Green should approach their lineup and better utilize their resources as they prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Malik, a seasoned 42-year-old cricketer, emphasized the need for the team management to understand the stark differences between domestic leagues like the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the challenges of international cricket. He underscored the importance of making strategic decisions, especially with the prestigious World Cup looming on the horizon.

Malik proposed a revised batting order that he believes would provide the team with the right balance and optimize the strengths of the players. According to him, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan should open the innings, followed by Babar Azam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, and Shadab Khan. He shared his insights on social media, aiming to offer a blueprint for success.

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“This is not PSL; this is international cricket, especially just before the T20 World Cup,” Shoaib Malik wrote on his X handle. “In my opinion, the batting order should be Fakhar, Rizwan, Babar, Iftikhar, Imad, Shadab. The captain needs to utilize the options on the bench wisely.”

– This is not PSL this is international cricket that too, just before T20 World Cup. IMO, the batting order should be…

Fakhar
Rizwan
Babar
Azam
Iftkar
Imad
Shadab

Captain needs to utilise the options on bench wisely. Moving forward, the captain should give time & enough…

— Shoaib Malik 🇵🇰 (@realshoaibmalik) May 25, 2024

In addition to the batting order, Shoaib Malik highlighted the need for proper utilization of finishers like Azam Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed. He stressed that it is unrealistic to expect these players to score at a rapid pace immediately upon entering the crease. Instead, they should be given enough time and overs to settle before being expected to accelerate.

“Moving forward, the captain should give time and enough overs to Azam and Iftikhar to settle first. Expecting them to score 12-14 runs per over right away is unfair,” Shoaib Malik added. “All the best for the remaining matches.”

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Malik’s critique is a call for a more strategic and thoughtful approach to team management and batting strategy as Pakistan gears up for the T20 World Cup. His suggestions aim to ensure that the team leverages its full potential and performs cohesively on the international stage.