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Pakistan’s Batting Collapses Since 2022: What the Numbers Say
PUNA— I looked at all ODIs and T20Is from Jan 2022 to May 2026 where Pakistan batted first or chased, and pulled out innings where they lost 4+ wickets for <50 runs.
1. How often it happens:
- ODIs: 18 collapses in 47 completed innings = 38% of games.
- T20Is: 22 collapses in 52 innings = 42% of games.
For comparison: India 19%, Australia 21% in the same period. Pakistan is nearly double.
2. Where it happens:
The middle overs 11-40 in ODIs and 7-15 in T20Is are the danger zone.
vs Spin in middle overs:
Pakistan averages 24.3 runs per wicket, scoring at 6.8 RPO. That’s the worst among top 8 teams. vs Pace with the old ball: 28.1 avg, 7.2 RPO. Better, but still we are at bottom.
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3.The pattern:
It often happens they start well in the powerplay, then lose 3-4 wickets in 20 balls to a part-timer or a pressure over.
The top 3 – Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar – average 45+ in the first 10 overs. But positions 4-7 average 22.4 with a SR of 88 in ODIs, That gap is the major problem. When the top 3 fall, there’s no one to rebuild.
4. Impact on results:
In matches with a collapse Pakistan’s win rate is 11%. Average score drops from 287 to 213 in ODIs.
In T20Is, they score 158 when no collapse, 121 when they do. That’s a 37-run swing.
Most losses to NZ, England, and SA since 2023 follow this exact script: 70/1 at 10 overs, then 95/5 at 18 overs.
5. Why the stats look this way Technical:
Middle-order batters average 18 balls faced before getting out. They aren’t getting set. Domestic cricket doesn’t give them practice rotating strike under pressure.
Tactical:
Pakistan promotes hitters at 4-5 who can’t play spin. Teams bowl 2 overs of spin right after the powerplay and watch the wickets fall.
Mental Capability:
Strike rate pressure is huge. If the team is 90/2 at 12 overs, the next batter feels they must hit from ball one. Dot ball pressure builds, wicket falls.
The Fix, Based on the Data Lock a middle order for 20 games. Stop rotating Iftikhar, Salman Ali Agha, and Saud Shakeel every series. Let them fail 3-4 times and learn.
Train for 35-50 ball knocks. In domestic 50-over games, force batters to bat 30+ overs twice a season. Use data on matchups.
Against teams with quality spin, play an extra accumulator at 4. Don’t send a slogger to face Rashid Khan or Keshav Maharaj.
Cut run-outs. 12% is too high. That’s 1 wicket every 8 innings given away for free. The bowling can still win you games, but until the middle order stops leaking 4 wickets in 3 overs, Pakistan will keep losing from winning positions.
