Former cricketer Aakash Chopra recently commented that despite being under scrutiny for his performance as a batsman and captain, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam should not be solely held responsible for the team’s poor performance in the ongoing ODI World Cup in India.
Babar Azam’s captaincy came under the scanner following Pakistan’s hat-trick of losses in the marquee event. After dropping their last three games, the Men in Green are in a situation where they practically need to win to keep their dreams of advancing to the semifinals alive.
In a video that he uploaded to his YouTube channel, Chopra voiced his doubts about Babar staying as Pakistan’s captain after the World Cup, but he also mentioned that there are other problems in the Pakistan team, admitting that his captaincy has been below par in the ongoing ODI World Cup.
“If the match is on a good pitch and South Africa gets to bat first and starts hitting, Pakistan’s situation can become slightly bad. There is also a different atmosphere in Pakistan. There are reports from their board that they are standing with them but if you have to say that, it means you are not.”
“From their statements, it seems like preparations have been made to remove Babar Azam. There is no doubt that his captaincy has been ordinary, his form has also been very ordinary but he is not the only problem. You are not losing because of him. There are a lot of other reasons as well,” Aakash Chopra said.
Babar Azam has been a brilliant player for the Pakistan team across the format, however, his captaincy and on-field strategies have been a source of controversy over the last couple of years. His poor decision-making has resulted in Pakistan losing momentum on several occasions, which led to the team’s failure in the important games.
You Would Have Got A Little Mystery But He Isn’t There – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra has expressed his concern about the performance of Pakistan’s bowling unit in the ongoing tournament. He also raised questions about the team’s bowling combination ahead of their match against South Africa, stating that it hasn’t been up to the mark in the marquee event.
“South Africa will bat first if they win the toss and Pakistan will also do the same, but Pakistan’s bowling is extremely ordinary. I don’t know how they will recover and start bowling well.”
“Shadab Khan and Usama Mir – God only knows if they will play Mohammad Nawaz now or not. Abrar (Ahmed) should have been on this team. You would have got a little mystery but he isn’t there. Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up wickets in one match and bowled decently against Afghanistan as well, but that sharpness is not there,” Aakash Chopra added.
It will be difficult for the Men in Green to advance to the semifinals with just two victories in five games. They would look to put on a fine show against the Proteas to get their campaign straight in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 in India.
