Last Updated: July 25, 2023, 3:05 PM IST
Abdullah Shafique is nearing a century. (AP Photo)
The Pakistan cricket team seems to have been inspired by England’s aggressive approach with the bat in Test cricket.
Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has branded Pakistan’s approach of aggressive batting in the Test series against Sri Lanka as ‘PakBall’ on the lines of England’s ‘Bazball’.
Pakistan are currently touring Sri Lanka for two Test matches. The visitors have already picked up a four-wicket win in the first Test. In the second Test match, Pakistan continue to bat at a rapid pace.
The changed approach has elicited a reaction from Rawalpindi Expresswho tweeted, “Is PakBall becoming a bit of a thing?”
Pakistan batters Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood knocked a half-century each to help the tourists score 178 runs in 38.3 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground before rain interruption.
Pakistan’s bowlers had made quick of work of the Sri Lankan batters, dismissing the entire team at a total of 166 runs.
Shafique is nearing a century, having scored 87 runs off 131 deliveries, hitting eight fours and two sixes.
Masood’s entertaining batting performance came to an end at the hands of Asitha Fernando in the 22nd over. He struck 51 off 47, having hit four fours and one six.
The term ‘PakBall’ has been inspired by Brendon McCullum’s aggressive and fearless brand of cricket which has been popularised as BazBall.
The approach challenges the orthodox idea of playing with caution in Test. The strategy has worked wonders for England who are in the midst of a remarkable turnaround after a poor Ashes last year in Australia that was followed by a series defeat in West Indies.
India’s aggressive batting in the second innings of the 2nd Test against West Indies also led people coining similar terms.
The duo of the young cricketing sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma broke a record by scoring the fastest team fifty in Indian Test history as an opening pair. The pair smashed a whopping 90 runs in 10.1 overs which led to the coining of terms like Jamball, Roball among others.
