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Under the guidance of New Zealand coach Grant Bradburn, Pakistan aims to adopt an assertive cricketing style, eyeing dominance in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 and Cricket World Cup 2023. Bradburn emphasizes on improving performance during the middle overs and instilling a proactive approach in the team.
Grant Bradburn, the influential coach of the Pakistan cricket team, has recently unveiled his vision for the squad – to cultivate an assertive and aggressive style of play, reminiscent of the renowned "Bazball" approach that England uses. This strategy played a pivotal role in Pakistan's commendable 2-0 Test series triumph against Sri Lanka, where the team showcased their revamped gameplay.
Bradburn, who took the reins as Pakistan's coach in May, has persistently stressed the significance of proactivity in the game, urging players not to solely rely on bowlers' errors but to seize the initiative. A testament to this was Pakistan's victory against Sri Lanka, where they clinched the series with Sri Lanka's largest home test defeat, sealing the second test within just four days at the Sinhalese Sports Club.
Bradburn opined, "We're not training to show skills in the nets. We aim to harness those skills in real-time matches. This isn't just a coaching directive but an essential criteria for selection. We aspire to be at the forefront of the global cricketing scene, setting the pace and not just catching up."
As the "Asia Cup 2023" looms, and with the "Cricket World Cup 2023" on the horizon, Bradburn is focusing on transitioning this aggressive gameplay into Pakistan's white-ball cricket. He acknowledged a notable concern – Pakistan's reliance on a top-heavy batting lineup and the team's struggle to score freely during the middle overs.
Bradburn's remedy is clear, "We are emphasizing skill development to intensively attack the middle overs, leveraging both the bat and ball and strategizing our field placements. Our objective is to secure wickets during this crucial phase."
With Babar Azam helming the captaincy, Pakistan is gearing up for a 3-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, before diving into their Asia Cup endeavor. Given their current form and Bradburn's strategy, Pakistan is poised to be a strong contender in the ODI World Cup set to commence on October 5 in India.
