'Babar Azam needs one good innings to bounce back'

Peshawar Zalmi’s spin bowling coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, believes that Babar Azam is just one solid innings away from regaining his form and confidence. 

Speaking to the media, Mushtaq backed the star batter, saying: “Thirty or forty runs mean nothing for Babar. He needs a big knock.”

Reflecting on Babar’s dip in form and losing the national captaincy,  Mushtaq said the changes and poor communication had mentally affected the batter. He said that Babar was stripped of the captaincy, dropped from the T20I squad, and later rested in Tests over the past year and a half.

“He was under pressure. The lack of support during his tough phase didn’t help,” he added.

Mushtaq emphasised that Peshawar Zalmi was fully backing Babar, which could play a key role in helping him bounce back. “He gave five years of consistent performance. Ups and downs are part of a cricketer’s journey. But bad performance will only make him stronger,” the former cricketer said.

Discussing Zalmi's approach in the ongoing T20 campaign, Mushtaq stressed the importance of dominating the powerplay and building a playing XI based on match conditions. “If we play well in the powerplay, we can beat any team,” he said. He also hinted at possibly including both left-arm spinners in the lineup depending on the pitch.

Mushtaq praised the role of spinners in recent Pakistan Super League (PSL) X matches and said spinners can be game-changers, even if they go for a few sixes. “If a spinner is taking wickets, even with sixes, he’s doing his job,” he noted. 

However, he lamented the decline in bowling standards, blaming the lack of quality practice sessions in Pakistan. “Batters have improved in international cricket, but bowlers haven’t kept up,” he concluded.

It may be noted that Babar-led Zalmi are set to take on Multan Sultans in a PSL match today in Rawalpindi. None of the teams have won a single match in the ongoing season of the country's premier league cricket.