Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam addressed the media following their unexpected defeat to a relatively inexperienced New Zealand side in the third T20I of the ongoing five-match series at Pindi Cricket Stadium.
During the post-match presentation, Babar Azam disputed the notion that Pakistan’s cautious approach in the middle overs was to blame.
Instead, he suggested that the team fell short of a secure score by approximately ten runs.
“I don’t believe it [slow run-rate during the middle overs] made a significant difference because we caught up.
We were about 10 runs short,” Babar Azam stated. He added, “Although we managed to catch up later in the innings, falling ten runs short was crucial.”
The match witnessed Pakistan facing a minor crisis when Mohammad Rizwan suffered an injury, complicating matters for incoming batsmen.
However, Babar praised the recovery effort, particularly highlighting Shadab Khan’s contribution.
“Shadab and Irfan Khan formed a vital partnership that almost brought us back into the game,” he noted.
Despite the setback, Babar Azam remained positive about the team’s batting performance, indicating that a target of 180-190 runs is typically competitive at this venue.
New Zealand’s Mark Chapman emerged as the standout performer of the match, scoring an impressive unbeaten 87 from just 42 balls, guiding New Zealand to a comfortable seven-wicket victory with over an over to spare.
With the series now level at 1-1, both teams are poised to continue their rivalry in Lahore, with the remaining two matches scheduled for April 25th and 27th.
The series continues to garner significant attention as both teams strategize for the upcoming high-stakes encounters.
