When Pakistan slumped to 30 for 3 at the end of the powerplay against the USA at the T20 World Cup 2024, the world turned its eyes to Babar Azam — Pakistan’s captain, its most reliable batter, and the man expected to rescue what had become a crisis situation. What followed was one of the most technically absorbing passages of play in the tournament: a painstaking but ultimately crucial partnership between Babar Azam and Shadab Khan that dragged Pakistan back from the brink.
Babar Azam: A Slow Start in a High-Stakes Moment
Babar Azam is universally regarded as one of the best batters across all formats. His technique is meticulous, his footwork elegant, and his shot selection — particularly against pace bowling — is among the finest in the modern game. Yet in Dallas, he found himself completely out of sorts during the early phase of his innings.
The drop-in pitch at Grand Prairie Stadium produced inconsistent bounce and more lateral movement than Pakistan’s batters had anticipated. Babar, who builds his innings patiently even on good surfaces, was doubly cautious. Balls that he would normally drive confidently through the covers were left or defended, as he struggled to read the pace and trajectory off the surface.
His strike rate in the early phase of his innings was unusually low by any standard, let alone his own. Balls went by, dots mounted, and Pakistan’s scoring rate stalled — but Babar remained at the crease, and that presence, even when muted, was invaluable.
Why Babar’s Wicket Was Pakistan’s Most Important Asset
To understand why Babar’s cautious approach was actually defensible in context, it is important to understand what his wicket represented. With three top-order batters already gone — and Pakistan’s lower middle order not possessing the same calibre of batting depth — losing Babar in the powerplay’s aftermath would almost certainly have resulted in a total well below 130.
By surviving, absorbing pressure, and waiting for the pitch to settle and his eyes to adjust, Babar gave Pakistan a platform. It was unglamorous cricket. It was not the Babar Azam people pay to watch. But it was arguably the right Babar Azam for the circumstances Pakistan found themselves in.
Shadab Khan: The Perfect Partnership Partner
The key figure in Pakistan’s recovery was Shadab Khan. A genuine all-rounder and one of Pakistan’s most instinctive cricketers, Shadab came in and immediately changed the tempo. Where Babar was calculated and careful, Shadab was intuitive and attacking — providing exactly the counterbalance Pakistan’s innings needed.
Shadab’s Attacking Instinct
Shadab Khan has always been a batter who trusts his instincts, and in Dallas he backed himself from the moment he arrived at the crease. He targeted the shorter boundaries, hit against the spin of the field, and refused to allow USA’s bowlers to settle into a rhythm. His presence at the crease gave Babar more freedom — with a boundary-threat at the other end, the USA couldn’t afford to crowd Babar with men inside the ring.
The Partnership in Numbers
The Babar-Shadab partnership was the pivotal stand of Pakistan’s innings. It came at a critical juncture — when Pakistan needed rebuilding but also needed runs on the board — and it delivered both. The partnership stabilised the innings, brought up a competitive total, and ultimately set the target that made the match a contest.
What the Partnership Tells Us About Pakistan’s Batting Depth
The Babar-Shadab stand was a reminder that Pakistan’s batting depth in T20 cricket remains a concern. In an ideal world, a collapse to 30 for 3 against a team ranked well below Pakistan would be followed by a partnership between two senior batters — Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan — not a batter-allrounder combination in Babar and Shadab.
The fact that Shadab was required to play an innings of substance in this situation highlighted the fragility of Pakistan’s middle order, a recurring issue that had been debated extensively in the build-up to the tournament. For context on how Pakistan arrived at 30 for 3 in the first place, see our detailed powerplay breakdown: How USA reduced Pakistan to 30/3 in the powerplay.
The Match Outcome: Where the Partnership Fell Short
Despite Babar and Shadab’s efforts, Pakistan were ultimately unable to post a total large enough to account for the magic that Aaron Jones would produce in the USA run chase. The match tied at 159 runs each, and the USA won the Super Over — one of cricket’s most dramatic outcomes. For the full story of how the match played out, read our complete match report: USA beat Pakistan in a Super Over at the T20 World Cup 2024.
Babar Azam in T20 World Cups: A Record of Excellence
Despite the difficult circumstances in Dallas, Babar Azam’s overall record in T20 World Cups remains excellent. He has consistently been one of Pakistan’s most important players in ICC tournaments, with multiple Player of the Tournament nominations to his name. The Dallas match, however, will be remembered as one of the few occasions where Babar’s extraordinary talent was unable to produce the result his team needed.
That makes the innings fascinating rather than disappointing — it was Babar at his most human, grinding through adversity in conditions that neutralised his strengths, and still producing something of value even if it ultimately wasn’t enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Babar Azam struggle against USA at the T20 World Cup 2024?
Babar Azam struggled due to the unpredictable nature of the drop-in pitch at Grand Prairie Stadium, which produced inconsistent bounce and movement. Combined with the pressure of entering at 30 for 3, these conditions made it difficult for Babar to play his natural attacking game early in his innings.
What was the Babar Azam and Shadab Khan partnership in the T20 World Cup 2024?
Babar Azam and Shadab Khan came together with Pakistan in trouble at 30 for 3 and built a crucial partnership that stabilised Pakistan’s innings. Shadab’s attacking instincts complemented Babar’s more cautious accumulation, and together they gave Pakistan a competitive total to defend — which ultimately ended in a tie and a Super Over defeat.
How did the Babar-Shadab partnership affect the match outcome?
Their partnership was significant enough to take Pakistan to 159 — a total that proved sufficient to tie the match before the Super Over. Without their stand, Pakistan’s total may well have been 20-30 runs lower, potentially turning a close Super Over defeat into a comprehensive one.
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