"He missed a huge trick" - Aakash Chopra criticizes Babar Azam's captaincy in IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 clash

Aakash Chopra has criticized Babar Azam's captaincy in the Asia Cup 2023 Group A clash between India and Pakistan.

The Men in Blue posted a 266-run total after they had been reduced to 66/4 at one stage in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. However, the match did not yield a result as persistent rain did not allow Pakistan to start their run chase.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Babar Azam missed a massive trick by overusing his spinners. He elaborated:

"Babar Azam got his spinners to bowl 21 overs when the opposing team was 66/4. You had 30 overs of fast bowling. I think he missed a huge trick and because of that, he allowed India to prosper."

The former Indian opener feels Babar's captaincy let the seven-time champions slip away from the Men in Green's grasp. He said:

"It's good, we don't mind, but Pakistan should actually look inwards and say that there was a captaincy error. The fist was closed and you opened it and when you try to grab it again, it becomes slightly late."

Babar's decision to bowl out his spinners in the middle overs might have been swayed by previous results against India. Pakistan lost two T20Is to India, once in the Asia Cup and the other in the World Cup, when Mohammad Nawaz was left to bowl the final over after the other bowlers had been bowled out.

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"Defensive captaincy" - Aakash Chopra on Babar Azam's handling of his bowlers

Naseem Shah wouldn't have bowled his full quota even if Pakistan had bowled their entire 50 overs. [P/C: AP]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Babar Azam was defensive in his captaincy approach. He explained:

"He went towards spin very early and stayed with spin for a very long time - defensive captaincy. He was thinking who will bowl the 45th or 48th over and doing all that, Naseem Shah wouldn't have got to bowl his entire quota of overs. One of the fast bowlers wouldn't have bowled an over if they had bowled the entire 50 overs."

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Babar should have used his seamers regularly to bowl out India much earlier. He stated:

"So obviously you missed a trick. If you have pushed down the opposing team, the Indian team were stuck, then you should crush them. Then bowl them out for 150. At least try to finish it in 37 overs or so. So bowl 30 overs of fast bowling. You should have kept on bowling the fast bowlers continuously from one end."

The Pakistan spinners went wicketless and conceded 133 runs in the 21 overs they bowled. Babar's decision to bowl his spinners an extra over than what was required was certainly inexplicable.