Cricket

Pakistan's Dismal Powerplay Performance in T20 World CupsPakistan's batting woes continued in the ongoing T20 World Cup as they recorded one of the worst powerplay totals in the tournament's history against the USA. In their Group A match in Dallas, Pakistan managed a meager 30 runs in the first six overs, losing three wickets in the process.This dismal performance is not an isolated incident. Pakistan has a history of struggling in the powerplay during T20 World Cups. In 2014, they were bowled out for just 13 runs against the West Indies in Mirpur. In 2022, they managed only 28 runs against Zimbabwe in Perth. In 2021, they scored 29 runs against Namibia in Abu Dhabi and 30 runs against New Zealand in Sharjah.The reasons for Pakistan's powerplay struggles are multifaceted. One factor is the quality of opposition bowling. Teams like the West Indies, Zimbabwe, and New Zealand have pace and precision, which can unsettle even the best batsmen.Another factor is Pakistan's own batting approach. They often rely on big-hitting in the powerplay, which can lead to reckless shots and wickets. Additionally, they have struggled to adapt to different conditions, such as the slow and low pitches in Sharjah.Pakistan's powerplay woes have had a significant impact on their overall performance in T20 World Cups. In the 2022 tournament, they lost all three of their matches and were eliminated in the group stage. In 2021, they reached the semi-finals but were outplayed by Australia in the powerplay.If Pakistan wants to improve their performance in future T20 World Cups, they need to address their powerplay struggles. This means finding a way to counter the quality of opposition bowling and developing a more balanced batting approach. They also need to improve their adaptability to different conditions.

Shubman Gill, the promising Indian batter and captain of Gujarat Titans, has faced a dip in form in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. Despite a strong start, Gill has struggled to maintain consistency, with his last significant score of 50+ runs coming on April 10 against Rajasthan Royals. Since then, he has been dismissed for single-digit scores on three occasions.Gill's struggles have raised concerns, especially considering his omission from the T20 World Cup squad. However, former India opener Virender Sehwag has expressed confidence in Gill's ability to bounce back. Sehwag believes that Gill should draw inspiration from legendary batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman, who never allowed a dip in form to derail their careers."He should focus on scoring runs at a good strike-rate so he doesn't get replaced," Sehwag advised. "He has to learn from the greats who never gave a reason to get dropped."Gill's struggles have coincided with Gujarat Titans' poor performance in IPL 2024. The team, which won the title in 2022 and finished runners-up last year, currently languishes at the ninth spot in the table with just four wins from 11 games.One of the Titans' major weaknesses has been their performance during the Powerplay, particularly with the bat. Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday, they posted the lowest Powerplay total of any team this season, scoring only 23 runs. Their Powerplay run-rate of 7.54 and strike-rate of 118.43 are the lowest among all teams in IPL 2024.Addressing their underwhelming performance in the Powerplay will be crucial for the Titans if they are to salvage their season and make a late push for a playoff spot.