Sports
Pakistan’s batting woes: Life after Babar and Rizwan | The Express Tribune
KARACHI:
For years, Pakistan’s T20I fortunes revolved around the calm consistency of Mohammad Rizwan and the class of Babar Azam at the top of the order. Together, they forged one of the most reliable opening partnerships in modern T20I cricket, a duo that often laid the foundation for Pakistan’s victories. Now, with the team moving away from the pair in search of a more aggressive approach, the effects are becoming glaringly obvious.
From 2021 to 2023, Rizwan and Babar opened in 51 T20I innings together, amassing over 2,000 runs at an average of 44.3 with a strike rate of nearly 130. No other pair in world cricket during that period came close to their output. They shared 9 century stands and 12 fifty-run partnerships, a record that speaks volumes of their consistency.
Perhaps their most memorable run came in the 2021 T20 World Cup, when their unbeaten 152-run stand stunned India and set the tone for Pakistan’s campaign. For a side often accused of fragility at the top, Rizwan and Babar were not just openers – they were a shield against collapse.
Fast forward to 2025, and Pakistan’s opening combination has shifted. Youngsters like Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and Mohammad Haris have been given opportunities to bring flair and intent to the top order. While the strategy reflects a desire to modernize the T20 approach, the lack of stability is hurting Pakistan.
In the last 10 T20Is, Pakistan’s new opening combinations have averaged under 22 runs per stand, with only one fifty partnership. The contrast is stark compared to Rizwan and Babar’s era, where a 40+ start was almost routine. The struggles are evident in matches against top opposition, where early wickets expose an inexperienced middle order too soon.
What Pakistan is Missing
Babar’s role as an anchor and Rizwan’s ability to rotate strike while accelerating later provided balance. Their game might not have matched the high-voltage aggression of Indian or English openers, but it brought reliability. Crucially, their partnerships ensured Pakistan rarely started in chaos.
Now, with inconsistent starts, the middle order faces scoreboard pressure, and bowlers no longer enjoy the cushion of defendable totals. Against India recently, Pakistan’s openers fell cheaply, and the team limped to 127/9 – a total that Rizwan and Babar might have doubled with a solid stand.
The challenge for Pakistan is clear: balancing the aggression of the new breed with the proven solidity of their former stalwarts. Dropping both Rizwan and Babar simultaneously has left a leadership vacuum at the top. While the intent is to evolve, the execution shows that experience and consistency still matter.
If Pakistan are to mount serious challenges in upcoming tournaments, they must revisit their formula – whether by reinstating one of the seasoned campaigners alongside a youngster or by redefining roles to ensure their openers can both survive and score briskly.
Because right now, the absence of Babar and Rizwan isn’t just a tactical shift – it’s a gap Pakistan is struggling to fill.
The second Sunday of the 2026 Winter Olympics is a busy one for fans of Team USA.
Mikaela Shiffrin skis in the giant slalom — the race she won at the 2018 Olympics, and her second shot at a medal in Milan Cortina. It’s also the race where she suffered a severe injury with a puncture wound in 2024. Shiffrin has had to deal with PTSD from the crash, and competing again in Olympic giant slalom is part of her comeback. Speedskater Erin Jackson will attempt to defend her Olympic gold in the 500 meters. Pairs figure skating begins, with Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea the top American pair. They had clutch performances to help the U.S. win gold in the team event and have an outside chance of a medal. And U.S. men’s hockey will be back in action against Germany.
Key events (all times ET)
-
4:00 a.m. — Women’s giant slalom
-
11:03 a.m. — Women’s 500m speedskating
-
1:45 p.m. — Pairs figure skating
-
3:10 p.m. — Men’s hockey (USA vs. Germany)
MORE: Medal tracker | Full schedule of events | Olympics 101
Here’s a live look at the top moments from Sunday’s events.
With a global sporting spectacle going on nearby, locals in Milan flooded San Siro to witness a riveting Derby d’Italia between Inter Milan and Juventus.
Source link
Sports
Olympic hockey fans raise Greenland’s flag during USA’s dominant win over Denmark, sparking viral reaction
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
During Team USA’s comeback men’s hockey win over Denmark at the Winter Olympics, two fans raised the flag of Greenland in the stands to protest President Donald Trump’s intent to acquire Greenland for the U.S.
The flag was raised enthusiastically after Denmark took an early lead. However, the U.S. came back to win the game 6-3.
Vita Kalniņa and her husband Alexander Kalniņš, fans of the Latvian hockey team who live in Germany, held up a large Greenland flag during warmups and again when the Danish team scored the opening goal of the preliminary round game against the U.S., which ultimately beat Denmark 6-3.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark’s Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“We are Europeans, and I think as Europeans we must hold together,” Kalniņš told The Associated Press.
“The Greenlandic people decide what will happen with Greenland, but, as it is now, Greenland is a part of the Danish kingdom and, as Greenland is a part of Denmark, as in this case, we support both countries against the U.S.”
A Danish fan at the game, Dennis Petersen, said, “It doesn’t matter whatever sport it is — it could be tennis, it could be bobsledding, it can be ice hockey, it could be football — it has nothing to do with politics. … They are athletes, not politicians.”
An American fan at the game, Rem de Rohan, said, “I think this is the time for people to kind of put that down and compete country versus country and enjoy,” he said. “We love rooting on every country that’s been here.”
Fans on social media had their own reactions to the flag display and the result of the game.
“Now that the USA is up 4-2 could we place a wager that if the USA wins the game, Denmark gives up Greenland?” one fan wrote in response to the flag.
One fan wrote, “Team USA won, do we get Greenland now?”
The United States’ Jack Eichel, second right, celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Another fan similarly said, “How did that turn out? we won, we get greenland now.”
Some American conservative influencers used the U.S. victory as a springboard to make viral jokes about annexing Greenland.
The comeback victory by the U.S. appeared uncertain early in the game.
After trailing 2-1 through the first period, the Americans dominated on offense to take a 6-3 victory over Denmark Saturday in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The Americans scored three unanswered goals to open the second period, with 4 Nations hero Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) finding the back of the net.
Both sets of brothers on the team — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a point in the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a different goal scorer each time the lamp was lit.
The Americans had 47 shots on goal compared to Denmark’s 21.
The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a game against Germany at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans will once again be heavy favorites, and a victory will put them into the knockout stage.
The Americans can also go right to the knockout stage with an overtime loss. With a regulation loss, their fate would be determined by Canada’s game against France and point differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
But as a heavy favorite against a German team with just eight NHL players, the U.S. may not need to worry.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter
BGMEA, AmCham Bangladesh welcome reciprocal tariff agreement with US
‘Very successful emerging economy’: UN chief António Guterres hails India as AI Impact Summit host – The Times of India
King Charles receives new calls for Andrew action as royals make key error
How a factory error in China created a viral “crying horse” Lunar New Year trend
Aye Finance IPO Day 2: GMP Remains Zero; Apply Or Not? Check Price, GMP, Financials, Recommendations
New York Is the Latest State to Consider a Data Center Pause
-
Entertainment1 week agoHow a factory error in China created a viral “crying horse” Lunar New Year trend
-
Business5 days ago
Aye Finance IPO Day 2: GMP Remains Zero; Apply Or Not? Check Price, GMP, Financials, Recommendations
-
Tech1 week agoNew York Is the Latest State to Consider a Data Center Pause
-
Tech1 week agoNordProtect Makes ID Theft Protection a Little Easier—if You Trust That It Works
-
Tech1 week agoPrivate LTE/5G networks reached 6,500 deployments in 2025 | Computer Weekly
-
Fashion5 days agoComment: Tariffs, capacity and timing reshape sourcing decisions
-
Business1 week agoStock market today: Here are the top gainers and losers on NSE, BSE on February 6 – check list – The Times of India
-
Business1 week agoMandelson’s lobbying firm cuts all ties with disgraced peer amid Epstein fallout