Cricket

Scott Styris explains how to dismiss Babar Azam: “Be a little bit risky and try that magic delivery…”

In the run-up to the 2022 Asia Cup, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris lauded Babar Azam, calling the top Pakistani batter the “number one player going around.”

Babar, who has risen to prominence in international cricket since making his debut in the summer of 2015, is regarded as one of the best hitters of his generation, and Styris believes it will be difficult for opposing sides to devise a strategy to dispatch him or keep him off strike.

Azam is the only hitter now ranked in the top three in all international forms. He is a prolific white-ball cricket run-scorer who will be seen in action at the next Asia Cup, which will pit Pakistan against archrival India on August 28 in Dubai. Babar has only played one T20I this year, but the Pakistan skipper has been in commanding form in Tests and ODIs.

Given Babar’s exceptional performances, former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris said on Tuesday (August 23) that it will take an unique delivery to eliminate the 27-year-old in the forthcoming Asia Cup.

“I think what you would say is if India could win, any team could say I’ll give you 16 Babar Azams, and then you’re out. They would take it every day of the week. He is that good. He is the number one man going around,” he was quoted as saying.

babar virat“I think you’ve almost got to be brave. Be a little bit risky and try that magic delivery that you might be a little afraid to bowl, because if you get it wrong, it can go out of the park because it’s going to take a special delivery to get somebody like him out in the form that he’s in,” Scott stated.

“He’s that good player at the moment and that’s perhaps the strategy. As it is, I think I’d probably need a few more hours of studying film to work out any genuine weaknesses that he has, but as it is just you’ve got to be aggressive and go after it,” he added.

Due to a knee injury, Pakistan’s star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will not be able to play in the tournament. The former cricketer said that Shaheen’s absence will make the other team’s batsmen feel much better.

“Every top order should be high-fiving themselves because he has every possible attribute that you could want in a fast bowler. He has height, he has the pace, he gets bounce, he has that ability to swing the ball, and he has the variation of being a left armer as well. So, I’m with you. I think that every top order in this competition, not just the Indian top order who are susceptible to the ball coming back, I think that they will be delighted that he isn’t there and it gives them a greater chance of winning the tournament,” added Styris.

The Asia Cup, which was moved from Sri Lanka to the UAE, will kick off on August 27 with Sri Lanka taking on Afghanistan. The highly awaited clash between archrivals India and Pakistan will take place on the 28th in Dubai.

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