Hussain Talat calls middle order “toughest job” in cricket after his performance in the high-stakes game against SL.
Hussain Talat: Middle-order batting the hardest job in T20s.
Hussain Talat, an all-rounder for Pakistan, vehemently defended his value to his team by claiming that “only four or five” players were capable of playing middle order in Twenty20 cricket. He referred to T20I middle order batting as “the hardest of skills” after leading his team to triumph over Sri Lanka in a match where a loss would have put them in danger of elimination.
“We keep saying that if we need a middle order player they need to know how to be both aggressive and have the ability to anchor,” Talat said at the press conference after the game. “But the chances of failure with that kind of cricket are high. Unfortunately, if you don’t perform a few games or series, the media and fans immediately go after you and you’re out of the team suddenly.
“I think the middle order is the hardest place to play in T20 cricket because you’re required to play all kinds of cricket. And because it’s difficult, I think you should have more chances in that position. And players who can play in the middle order are very rare in Pakistan, perhaps four or five. And even they don’t want to play there.”
Talat appeared rusty, having not participated in any games in the UAE during the month Pakistan had been here. As India overtook Pakistan, he fumbled for 11 balls and managed to score just 10. The lowest score of the entire competition for the seven overs that started when Talat walked out to the crease was 38. The majority of Pakistan’s anger would be focused at Talat and his other middle-order batsmen as India eventually swept to victory. Talat acknowledged that it still had an impact on him, but he explained that it was the reason he avoids social media.
“We’d lost so no one was feeling good,: Talat said. “The people wanted us to win, and we did what we could against India, too. But there was no extra pressure before today’s game. There was plenty of criticism which we were trying to avoid and which isn’t good for the team. But it was crucial to win today.”