"Major mistake" - Inzamam-ul-Haq feels Pakistan should not have promoted Maqsood above Fakhar Zaman in 2nd T20I

Inzamam-ul-Haq has opined that Pakistan made a colossal error by demoting Fakhar Zaman in the second T20I of the series against England. In Inzamam's view, Zaman should have come out to bat at number three for the team instead of Sohaib Maqsood.

Speaking on his YouTube channel after the second T20I between Pakistan and England, Inzamam-ul-Haq analyzed the reasons behind the Men in Green's 45-run defeat. He believed the Pakistan team management was wasting Fakhar Zaman's ability by sending him to bat lower down the order.

Explaining why Fakhar should have batted at number three in the previous game, Inzamam-ul-Haq said:

"I think Pakistan made a major mistake at number three. When Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were playing well, they sent Sohaib Maqsood instead of Fakhar Zaman when a wicket fell. Fakhar was an opener and if you push him to number five or six, where he has to face spinners, then he will be completely wasted. If they had sent him instead of Sohaib then it would have formed a right-hand and left-hand combination."

Sohaib Maqsood came out to bat at number three when Pakistan were 50/1 after 5.4 overs. He could not use the platform provided by the openers and departed to the dressing room after scoring 15 runs off ten deliveries. Soon after, the Pakistan team collapsed and were reduced to 105/6.

Fakhar Zaman would have performed better up the order: Inzamam-ul-Haq

Sohaib Maqsood hit one four and one six in his 10-ball 15

Inzamam-ul-Haq further pointed out that Fakhar Zaman was in excellent touch as he had smashed an 8-ball 25 in the series opener against England. The former Pakistan captain concluded by saying the visitors could have put more pressure on England by using Zaman at the number three position.

"Fakhar had made an eight-ball 25 in the last match as well. His confidence was high. He would have performed better up the order. We could have put a lot of pressure on England in this way,” Inzamam concluded.