Akram also threw light on how the players should shape their game owing to the match awareness.
With ever-increasing competition across the formats, players are in a constant race to up their skills and bring their ‘A’ game to display. To give themselves an uppercut over others, the players are constantly in search of the shelf of possibilities to tinker their game. Adapting to the requirements of the formats, the players have been shaping their innings.
Think of T20s and it won’t come as news that the players can’t wait for the storm to pass. Getting quick runs on the boards and pairing it up with getting early breakthroughs is the mantra for the format. Thus, the legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram believes that the players need to evolve in T20 cricket. Talking specifically about Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, Wasim advised that he should look forward to work on his dot-ball percentage.
Speaking during the Kashmir Premier League’s draft ceremony, Wasim said, “They [Pakistan batsmen] need to look at the top batsmen in the world and learn from how they approach their game. We have Babar Azam and Rizwan is in good nick as well but I think Babar needs to improve his dot ball percentage in the first six overs. The players need to evolve especially with so much T20 cricket being played.”
Wasim Akram questions PSL’s ability to produce talented batters
Opening up further on the Pakistan Super League, Wasim stated that the league is yet to give one good batsman from the emerging category. He cited Haider Ali’s example, who turned out to be inconsistent in the international arena.
“We have had six PSL seasons but can you name one batsman which came through the emerging category. Haider Ali’s name came up but he is not consistent. Hafeez is 40 odd, he is physically very fit and part of the team. I’m happy that he is playing well, although currently, he is out of form. If there was any other good batsman, he would have been replaced but that’s not the case.”
Akram also threw light on how the players should shape their game owing to the match awareness. He further added that the batters need to be calculative in picking bowlers and respond as per the situation. “Batting doesn’t mean that you have to hit a six on every ball. You have to pick your bowler, spot, and opposition along with situation awareness. A coach won’t tell you about situation awareness, it comes from the intelligence within players and they need to learn that,” Wasim added.
