Rashid Latif points to tactical blunder in Pakistan's T20I defeat

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif highlighted a key mistake by Pakistan during their chase that led to their defeat against England in the second T20I at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham.

Pakistan, chasing a 184-run target, were all out for 160 in 19.2 overs, with Fakhar Zaman top-scoring with 45 runs off 21 balls.

Latif noted that Pakistan, at 67/2 after eight overs with Zaman and Azam at the crease, needed just four more overs at the same run rate to stay on track. However, in overs 9-12, they managed only 25 runs, increasing the required run rate to 11.5.

“We were 67/2 in eight overs with Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam on the crease. It looked like Pakistan just have to play four more overs with the same run rate and we will be in the game,” Latif said while talking on YouTube.

“But the problem is in the next four overs (9,10,11 and 12), a total of 25 runs were scored and the required run rate had increased to 11.5. This was the turning point, they scored with the run rate of 6.25 in those overs,” he added.

Latif mentioned that Fakhar Zaman should have faced the majority of the deliveries between overs 9 and 12 because he was in good form and maintaining a strike rate above 200.

“And the most important thing is that Fakhar, who was in form, only played six balls in four overs while Azam Khan played 10, Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed 4 each. Fakhar should’ve been striking during those overs. Four batters played 19 balls over the in-form batter, and scored only 15 runs,” Latif added.