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'Hum call bhi nahi kartey...': Babar Azam credits history and chemistry after record-breaking partnership with Rizwan
Babar Azam , who had just managed 98 runs in previous seven T20I matches, slammed an unbeaten 110 off 66 balls and led his team to a handsome 10 wickets victory in the second T20I.
After a forgettable Asia Cup, followed by a 24-ball 31 against England in the series opener, Babar Azam's rough patch finally took a halt on Thursday evening in Karachi. The Pakistan skipper, who had just managed 98 runs in previous seven T20I matches, slammed an unbeaten 110 off 66 balls and led his team to a handsome 10 wickets victory in the second T20I.
Babar's knock was equally supported by his opening partner and in-form batter Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 88 off 51 deliveries, helping Pakistan chase a stiff 200-run target with three balls to spare. The feat saw the duo stitch a record-breaking double-century opening stand, surpassing the previous best, which was also set by the same pair. Babar and Rizwan held the previous record of Pakistan's 197-run opening-wicket stand, which they made against South Africa at Centurion in 2021.
Apart from the two instance, Babar and Rizwan had also stitched an unbeaten 152-run partnership, demolishing India by 10 wickets in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup.
When asked to reflect on the partnership he built with Rizwan on the evening and in the past, Babar credited the history and chemistry between the two, which make things easier for them. He also mentioned about the trust level, which is such that there are incidents when they have sneaked runs between the wickets without having to call for it.
“Humari communication kafi acchi hain, humne aise chase pehe bhi kiye hain, toh hamari chemistry kaafi milti hain. Kabhi kabhar hum aise runs lete hain ki hum call bhi nahi kartey, hum bhag jate hain. Yeh trust level hain, yeh trust level pure team mein hain. (Our communication is brilliant, even chemistry and we have chased high scoring targets previously. Sometimes we steal runs without a call, this is trust level we share.)”
“Hum koshish karte hain ek dusre pe trust kiya jaye as a team. (As a team we trust our teammates equally),” the Pakistan captain said in the post-match press conference on Thursday.
With the win, Pakistan have bounced back in the seven-match series, which now stands tied at 1-1. England had won the opening encounter by six wickets.
