KEY POINTS
- Sahibzada Farhan’s strike rate is held up as the new benchmark.
- Farhan’s strike rate exposes gap for Babar, Agha, and Usman
- Pakistan and India are drawn in the same World Cup group.
- All Pakistan group matches will be in Sri Lanka under the ICC’s “Fusion Formula.”
ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has urged senior batters, including Babar Azam, captain Salman Ali Agha and wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan, to improve their strike rates ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, warning that sub-120 strike rates are inadequate in modern T20 cricket.
The tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Benchmark for Success
In a recent social media post, Latif highlighted opening batter Sahibzada Farhan’s outstanding 2025 performances as the standard others must strive to meet.
He lauded Farhan’s “impressive form and strike rate,” sharing statistics that underscore the disparity.
“Sahibzada Farhan was the most successful batsman in 2025. Captain Salman Ali Agha, Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Usman Khan will need to work on their strike-rates for the World Cup,” Latif wrote on Facebook.
Statistical Comparison
The data shared by Latif reveals a significant gap
- Sahibzada Farhan: 1,825 runs in 45 matches | Avg: 43.45 | SR: 153.23
• Babar Azam: 585 runs in 22 matches | SR: 122.28
• Salman Ali Agha: 826 runs in 43 matches | SR: 119.88
• Usman Khan: 583 runs in 24 matches | SR: 117.04
Latif specifically noted that the strike rates of the players he addressed remain “below 120,” a concerning figure in the modern T20 landscape where Farhan’s 153+ serves as a benchmark.
World Cup Draw
The call for improvement comes with the World Cup landscape now clear. The ICC unveiled the tournament schedule and groups on November 25.
The event will feature 20 teams, with the top two from each of the five initial groups advancing to the Super Eight stage.
In a highly anticipated grouping, defending champions India and arch-rivals Pakistan have been drawn together in Group A, alongside the Netherlands, Namibia, and the USA.
Pakistan’s Fixtures and the “Fusion Formula”
Pakistan will begin their campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo on February 7.
Their group stage will be headlined by a colossal clash against India at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on February 15.
Notably, all of Pakistan’s group matches will be played in Sri Lanka.
This is due to the ICC’s “Fusion Formula,” which ensures Pakistan and India do not meet on each other’s home soil in ICC events for a three-year period, mandating neutral venues for their encounters.
