Babar Azam To Bat At Number Three In T20 World Cup 2024, Rizwan Remains Opener

In a bold move, Babar Azam, the iconic Pakistan cricket captain, has decided to alter his batting position for the upcoming T20 series against England and the T20 World Cup 2024.

This strategic shift will see Babar relinquishing his usual opening slot to bat at number three, while Mohammad Rizwan will continue to open. Rizwan will likely be partnered by either Fakhar Zaman or the young southpaw, Saim Ayub, to create a left-hand-right-hand combination at the top of the order.

The news, reported by Pakistan media, marks a significant change in Pakistan's T20 strategy: "Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will no more bat as a T20 opening pair for Pakistan. Mohammad Rizwan will play as an opener in the England series and T20 World Cup 2024 where Babar Azam will bat at number three."

The decision to separate the prolific pair of Babar and Rizwan comes amidst growing scrutiny of their strike rates. Despite their successful partnerships, including a record-breaking unbeaten stand of 152 against India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, critics have argued that their relatively conservative approach at the start of innings doesn't align with the aggressive demands of modern T20 cricket.

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In contrast, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub bring a more flamboyant style, potentially offering the explosive starts Pakistan needs.

Babar has batted at number three before, notably under Shaheen Afridi's captaincy during a series in New Zealand earlier this year. However, his demotion then was marred by tension and his subsequent removal as captain in all formats following Pakistan's disappointing ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.

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Now, with Babar back at the helm, this decision appears to be his own, suggesting a newfound acceptance.

Rizwan, too, had previously voiced his dissatisfaction with the batting order changes, stating that breaking their partnership had negatively impacted the team: "You can say that it [breaking the opening pair] has hurt Pakistan. I can say that Babar bhai has a big heart. We both agreed that there is no issue. We both told the management that they can try whatever combination they want."