“I have been really pleased…” - Mike Hesson backs Babar Azam despite showing poor signs of form in the ODI series

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has defended Babar Azam, who could score only 45 runs in the three-match ODI series against South Africa at home. Interestingly, Pakistan defeated South Africa in an ODI series for the first time at home.

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Before the limited-overs series, Babar accumulated 131 runs from four innings in the two-match Test series against South Africa at an average of 32.75, which caught the attention of the head coach. Later in the T20I series, he amassed 79 runs from three games.

"Oh, look, I've been really pleased with the way he played in the Test series. I know he didn't get big scores, but the way he was moving, striking the ball, and hitting the gaps, he's really playing nicely at the moment. He played well in that T20 and got a couple of good starts here where he looked in touch,” Mike Hesson told Ramiz Raja and Zainab Abbas after the match.

"He would be as frustrated as anyone, but I don't mind one or two heading to Rawalpindi in search of big runs. I'm pretty happy with that, and I think Babar will certainly be one of those," he added.

Chasing 144 runs in the third ODI at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Babar Azam absorbed pressure with a 32-ball 27-run knock with five fours before getting run out. He stitched a 65-run partnership for the second wicket to stabilize things for the hosts. 

"I think some of it is condition-based. You would've seen that first one that almost stayed low and got him just when he looked set. Today, he absorbed a bit of pressure, counterattacked, and then unfortunately got run out,” he observed.

"He's in the kind of form where those starts will soon start converting. The more he worries about converting them, the less likely it is to happen. For us, it's more about focusing on batting well, getting into good positions, making the right decisions, and the big runs will come," Hesson concluded.

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Babar Azam will next take on Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI series, starting on Tuesday, November 11, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

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