New Delhi : Former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris on Tuesday said it is going to take a special delivery to dismiss Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in the Asia Cup 2022, given his stunning batting performance.
Styris stated that the plan of getting Babar off crease may not deliver success as the batter is aware of that trick. He showered praise on the star Pakistani batter, calling him the number one in international cricket at the moment.
“He is the number one man going around. Look there’s usually what you look to do is to give him a single and get him off strike and bowl the guy at the other end. And I think that’s not something new. That’s been around for a decade or two, or three decades. So that sort of strategy to Babar Azam, I think he’s used to it, and I’m not sure that will work,” said Styris on Sports 18 show ‘Sports Over The Top’.
“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,” he added.
Babar has been at the top of the ODI batter rankings since he overtook former India skipper Virat Kohli in April last year.
His lead at the top is now 91 points after the latest update.
The Pakistan captain has a total of 891 rating points, with team-mate Imam-ul-Haq his closest challenger on 800 rating points after the opener managed just two runs against the Netherlands.
“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,” said Styris.
The Men in Green will open their Asia Cup campaign with a clash against arch-rivals India on August 28 in Dubai.
