The former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali stands in support of the current Pakistan T20I captain Babar Azam, under whom the national side failed to make their first second-round qualification in the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America.
Under the same captain’s leadership, the 2009 champions made their way into the semifinal of the 2021 season where they lost to Australia in Dubai, before ending as the runners-up against England in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.
But his leadership in this edition has come under the scanner, which has been powered thanks to his struggle with the bat in recent times. Babar Azam failed to contribute much in the scoring, as his poor knock of 44 runs in 43 balls didn’t offer any intent to Pakistan’s batting in the opening defeat of the tournament against the United States of America (USA).
‘Sitting on TV and criticizing Babar Azam or any other player is easy’- Azhar Ali
The former Pakistan batter feels that some of the retired players have unnecessarily have gone against Babar where he doesn’t have anything to do.
Azam tried to play a few shots against the USA in this struggling knock but failed to make much meat off the bat with the ball, as the pressure got the better of him at the crucial juncture of the game.
His captaincy too came under serious question, when some of his decisions looked baseless in the context of the situation, like sending Iftikhar Ahmed to face the super-over, and not giving the chance to Fakhar Zaman to take the strike against a left-arm pacer from the first ball.
Many fans and former players blamed him for his leadership skills and the way he batted in both games. Babar Azam has collected only 91 T20I runs in three innings in this ninth edition of the T20 World Cup, at a strike rate of 104.
The former Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad has criticized the captain the most, as he addresses Babar Azam as the ‘social media king’ besides feeling that he is the biggest reason behind why the team has been losing on a constant basis.
‘You say you are the biggest player in the world. Tell me, you have 1400 runs in your losing stat. Which kind is he?’ The former opener Ahmed Shehzad expressed in a television show. ‘You have highlighted your small things on social media and made it so big that you fooled the people of Pakistan.’
In 122 T20Is, the 29-year-old has collected 4113 runs at an average of 40.72, and a strike rate of nearly 130, with three centuries and 36 half-centuries, while in 303 T20s, the right-handed batter has managed 10910 runs at an average of 43.81, and a strike rate of nearly the same-130, with 11 hundreds and 90 fifties.
Also Read: “You Are A Fake King!”- Ahmed Shehzad Slams Babar Azam For His Stats In ICC Events
Azhar Ali, the former team-mate of Babar Azam has come in support of the player, as he feels that just because the batter isn’t replying to his critics, there is no meaning that others would keep on speaking rubbish about him.
‘Some recently retired players are now sitting on TV, talking nonsense and taking out their grudges. Look at what you have achieved in your career.’ Ali commented. ‘Sitting on TV and criticizing Babar (Azam) on any other player is easy, but criticism shouldn’t be personal. Just because Babar can’t reply to you doesn’t mean you can say any rubbish you want.’
It will be interesting which development happens on Babar by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) when the team returns home at the end of the T20 World Cup 2024.
