Mike Smith Backs Babar Azam to Bounce Back from Batting Struggles in ODI Tri-Series

Pakistan batting coach Mike Smith has backed Babar Azam despite his recent struggles, saying he is not worried about the batter’s form ahead of Saturday’s ODI tri-series final against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan lost their first match of the tournament on Tuesday, going down by eight wickets to Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium. Babar top-scored for Pakistan with 29 runs, but the team was bowled out for just 110 as Sri Lanka’s bowlers took control of the innings.

Notably, Babar has scored 118 runs in four innings so far but is still waiting for his first half-century in the tournament. He has managed to get starts in his innings but has failed to turn them into bigger scores.

Despite this, Smith has shown full support for the ace Pakistan batter. The batting coach believes Babar is getting settled at the crease and is confident that he will soon produce a big innings.

“It is definitely not a cause for concern. The hardest part of batting in cricket is getting established at the crease, and Babar is doing that effortlessly. Had he converted one of those solid starts into a substantial century, this would not even be a topic of discussion,” said Pakistan batting coach Mike Smith.

“That is the nature of elite international sport, you cannot deliver a peak performance every single time. Those who truly understand the game can see how well he is striking the ball. We have zero doubt that a big score is imminent, and when it comes, it will be magnificent to watch,” added Mike Smith.

Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, with left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka taking five wickets. He put pressure on the batters early with the new ball and returned later to finish his spell, leaving Pakistan with a low total to defend.

Despite the heavy defeat, Smith does not believe it will affect the final on Saturday. He feels the result will come down to which team deals with the pressure better and sticks to its plans during the match.

“That defeat will have no bearing whatsoever on the final. In a tri-series of this calibre against quality opposition, very few teams remain undefeated throughout. A setback at some point is expected. Losing the game leading into the final changes nothing,” said Mike Smith.

“Ultimately, a final comes down to whichever team handles the pressure best on the day and executes under strain to lift the trophy,” added Mike Smith.