Pakistan allrounder Hussain Talat has spoken out in support of Pakistan’s middle order after playing a decisive hand in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Sri Lanka. His composed knock under pressure ensured Pakistan stayed alive in the tournament, just days after he faced heavy criticism for his performance against India.
At the post-match press conference, Talat underlined how challenging the role is for any batter.
“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.”
According to Talat, very few Pakistani batters are willing to take on that responsibility.
“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.”
Bouncing Back from India Defeat
Talat admitted his earlier struggles in the loss to India affected him, even though he avoids reading online criticism. That innings slowed Pakistan’s momentum and drew plenty of backlash.
“We’d lost so no one was feeling good. 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.”
Steady Knock vs Sri Lanka
Pakistan looked comfortable chasing 134 until Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera triggered a collapse. From 43 without loss, they slipped to 80 for 5, leaving Talat to rebuild alongside Mohammad Nawaz.
“The pitch was a bit sticky, but improved in the second innings,” Talat said. “We lost a few wickets quickly and that put us under a lot of pressure. And then we were running out of batting pairs which required us to take the game deep.”
While Nawaz attacked, Talat chose to bat deep and keep the scoreboard moving. Their contrasting roles frustrated Sri Lanka’s spinners, and the game shifted once Hasaranga’s final overs went for boundaries. Nawaz’s explosive finish, including three sixes in an over off Chameera, sealed the win with two overs left.
Fighting for His Place
Talat’s comeback comes after four years out of the international side, and he admitted that it has taken persistence and hard work to reclaim his place. He also welcomed the management’s approach of backing players with longer opportunities instead of frequent chopping and changing.
“We’re hopeful. We’ve been playing T20 cricket for four months or so now, since Bangladesh came to Pakistan in May. Players are being backed in this group; in the past, players used to play a couple of matches and then be omitted. Now they’re getting an extended run like we see elsewhere in international cricket.
We’re two games away from the trophy, and we believe we can win it.”
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