After constant late-order collapses, batting has become a headache for Pakistan in Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) ahead of the T20 World Cup this year.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been the only consistent performers in the shortest format. Rizwan has scored 752 runs at an average of 94 runs in 14 matches in 2021, whereas Babar Azam has scored 523 runs at an average of 37. Surprisingly, no other Pakistan batsman has scored even a total of 200 runs this year.

Babar and Rizwan have stitched two century and one fifty-run partnership in 10 innings they have opened together this year. Rizwan has opened thrice with Sharjeel Khan and once with Haider Ali this year.

Despite consistent performances from Babar and Rizwan, they are criticised for consuming a lot of deliveries, which puts pressure on late-order batsmen. According to sources, similar sentiment is found among the batsmen in the national team. Few batsmen have talked about this with the management and one middle-order batsman even got his number changed in the batting-order through continued insistence.

Team management wanted to test the opening pair of Rizwan and Sharjeel on West Indies tour, but rain ruined the series and only one match was completed. Now, the management is looking to pursue with the same pair in the first few matches of upcoming New Zealand T20I series.