Pakistani Coach Saqlain Mushtaq defended its team’s Twenty20 playing style after losing Sunday’s Asia Cup final, saying they are on track for next month’s T20 World Cup. Babar AzamTheir side were unable to chase 171 to beat Sri Lanka, their 23-game defeat stifling the trend of teams winning while beating in second place in Dubai. Mohammad Rizwan made 55 of 49 tackles for Pakistan and became the league’s top scorer with 281 runs in six innings.
But Saqlain isn’t worried about Rizwan’s slow strike rate of 117.57 runs per hundred balls in the high-octane format.
For comparison, Virat kohli scored 276 runs for India at a faster pace of 147.59 in his five innings.
“Everybody has their own style of cricket,” says Saqlain.
“We’ve reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup (last year) and now the Asian Cup final, so proof that we’re doing something right.
“We have done so with our style of play, and the rest will be done, rather than in the style of the rest of the cricketing nations.”
Babar, the team’s top scorer before the tournament, made just 68 runs in six games with a top tally of 30, but Saqlain’s form dropped in the opening goal.
Saqlain said: “As I said before, anyone with a keen eye for cricket will realize that he is unlucky with the way he is playing.
“The way he plays and his work ethic is beyond question. He is a world-class player and God save him from the evil eye.”
27-year-old Babar, who has scored 2,754 runs in the international 80 Twenty20 at an average of over 42, recently lost his T20 world number one spot to opener Rizwan.
Babar’s final dismissal in the league came with a loose swing down the side of his foot to be caught on a short-footed quick throw. Pramod Madushanwho asked for four wickets.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa led the Sri Lankan fight from precarious 58-5 to post 170-6 and then the bowlers included Wanindu Hasaranga beat Pakistan for 147.
Hasaranga was back at 3-27 with a foot spin after he beat 36 in a crucial combination with left-handed Rajapaksa.
Saqlain praised the champions of Sri Lanka, who had previously defeated Pakistan, India and Afghanistan in the Super Four, for their performance in the final.
“Sri Lanka beat second and then beat us first and became the champion. Well deserved,” said Saqlain.
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“We played only the first nine passes of really good cricket and then they played almost 31 passes and dominated us in every way – in batting, bowling and punching.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the syndication feed.)
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