After suffering a defeat against India in Ahmedabad, Pakistan will play their next match of ICC World Cup 2023 against Australia. The match between Pakistan and Australia will take place on Friday (October 20) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Pakistan would like to make some changes to their playing XI and strategy after India decimated them at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Captain Babar Azam has guided Pakistan to the semifinals in T20 World Cup 2021 and final in T20 World Cup 2022. Hence, fans will back him to make some smart changes and bring Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 campaign back on track.
Before the match between Pakistan and the Aussies starts, here’s a look at the three changes which Pakistan should make to win the game.
1. Pakistan should bring Fakhar Zaman back into the playing XI for match against Australia
Fakhar Zaman is a big match player. Although his recent form has not been the best, he can make the game one-sided if he fires all cylinders. Imam-ul-Haq has struggled in recent matches, and perhaps, the left-handed opener can make way for Zaman, who can score big on the batting paradise at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
2. Give 1 chance to Usama Mir
One of the reasons why Pakistan has struggled to perform well against big teams is that they rely on bits and pieces players. Also, they do not use those players in the best manner possible. Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz are the two spin options with Pakistan. Perhaps, they can drop Nawaz for leg-spinner Usama Mir, who has the experience of 48 List-A matches.
3. Use Shadab Khan as a pinch-hitter in middle overs
The biggest area of concern for Pakistan team is middle overs while batting. The Men in Green were 155/2 against India but collapsed to 191 all out. One of the big reasons behind the collapse was the dot balls that the Pakistan batters played in the middle overs.
Pakistan have a game-changer like Shadab Khan in the team. Instead of sending him in to bat at number seven, Pakistan can send him after either Babar Azam or Mohammad Rizwan is dismissed. He can then try to launch an all-out assault on the bowlers like he does in the slog overs of T20I matches. Even a quick 20 or 30 can keep the momentum in Pakistan’s favor.
