Asia Cup 2022: Key takeaways from Pakistan's campaign
Pakistan would be gutted by the Asia Cup final defeat against Sri Lanka on Sunday. The Men in Green's insipid approach resulted in them folding on 147 to suffer a 23-run defeat. Despite being a competent and promising side, Pakistan failed to deliver on the big stage. Nonetheless, there were a few positives in their run. Here are the takeaways from Pakistan's campaign.
A tournament to remember for Rizwan
A high-octane finale called for a Mohammad Rizwan masterclass. The opener clocked his 16th T20I fifty but it lacked the firepower to steer Pakistan home. He scored a sluggish 49-ball 55. Had Rizwan opted for an aggressive approach, the history we know could have been different. Nonetheless, he was a huge plus for Pakistan, compiling 281 runs at 56.20 (50s: 3).
A deplorable run for Babar, Fakhar
Both Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman had a horrific show throughout the Asia Cup. Fakhar, who managed a 41-ball 53 against Hong Kong, followed with 15, 5, 13, and 0. Babar, despite being a far prolific batter in T20Is, couldn't muster a single score above 30. He amassed 68 runs at 11.33, with scores of 10, 9, 14, 0, 30, and 5.
Naseem aces his new-ball duties
19-year-old Naseem Shah was on fire right from his T20I debut against India. He pocketed 2/27, including a prized wicket of KL Rahul. Against Hong Kong, he claimed each of his two wickets in the powerplay. He rampaged in the finale early, with an in-swinger to uproot Kusal Mendis. Overall, the right-armer bagged seven scalps at 19.71, besides bowling 34 dot-balls in the powerplay.
Shadab, Nawaz prove to be a handful
T20 ace Shadab Khan used his expertise to the hilt. His leg-breaks and googlies were a nuisance, helping him garner eight scalps at 14.12. He found able support in left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, who too claimed eight wickets but averaged 13.75. Not to forget, Nawaz found success against India (42) while Shadab chipped in a match-winning 36 vs Afghanistan, guiding Pakistan to the finals.
Asif's finishing abilities need a mention
Middle-order batter Asif Ali deserves praise for changing the dynamics in the must-win Super Four affairs against India and Afghanistan. His cameos (8-ball 16) piloted Pakistan to nail-biting wins in each of these encounters. Notably, Asif had played a similar in the 2021 T20 World Cup, with knocks of 27*(12) and 25*(7) against New Zealand and Afghanistan, respectively.
