By Sadiq Mohammad
Pakistan still have a minor chance of qualifying for the World Cup semi-final but the equation is very clear. If New Zealand beat England on Friday, our hopes will end. However, if England defeat New Zealand, then Pakistan will have to beat Sri Lanka by a huge margin on Saturday to stay in contention.
If Pakistan get a chance in case England beat New Zealand then Pakistan will need to make a solid plan to pull off a huge win against Sri Lanka.
If we bat first, we should aim to score 200-plus runs. A total in the region of 195 to 200 is the minimum defendable target in modern T20 cricket, provided we play proper cricketing shots and execute a well-thought-out strategy. We must play like professionals, not like street cricketers.
I strongly believe we need to rethink our batting order. We should open with Usman and Farhan. Usman can take advantage of the first six overs with his free-flowing style. Babar should bat at number three to stabilize the innings.
Saim Ayub, in my view, should be pushed down to number six while Salman Agha should bat at number five. Salman must return to his original style of batsmanship — playing correct cricketing shots and building the innings smartly. He should look to stay till the last ball of the 20th over if possible.
Farhan, who appears to be the only batsman in real form, must control his emotions and aggressive instincts, especially after reaching his fifty. He should then concentrate on converting it into a big score. To achieve that, he must rely on proper cricketing strokes and keep the ball along the ground, aiming to bat through the full quota of 20 overs.
Another option could be to open with Fakhar Zaman alongside Farhan, which would give us an aggressive start. But whichever combination we choose, the key is disciplined and intelligent batting.
All our batsmen must play with one objective: to post a strong, defendable total of 195-plus if batting first. And if chasing, we must pace the innings wisely, preserving wickets and accelerating at the right time.
Pakistan still have a chance — but only if we bat properly, think clearly and play smart cricket.
The writer Sadiq Mohammad is a former Pakistan’s Test opener
