February 20, 2025: Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar has criticised Babar Azam for his slow and conservative approach during the ICC Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand. Akhtar expressed his disappointment with Babar’s performance, stating that the star batter showed “no intention to improve” despite the team’s loss.
Babar’s knock of 64 runs off 90 balls in Pakistan’s chase of 321 raised concerns due to his low strike rate of 71.11. His slow pace contributed to Pakistan’s 60-run defeat, leaving the team with a net run rate of -1.20. With Pakistan’s next match against arch-rivals India now looming as a virtual knockout, the pressure on the team is mounting.
In the post-match analysis show Game On Hai, as quoted by Wisden, Shoaib Akhtar didn’t hold back in his criticism. “Babar Azam has become the product he had to become; it is visible; what can I debate about it? You saw it (against New Zealand). There is no intention to improve,” Akhtar remarked.
The former cricketer also pointed out the need for more intelligence and awareness in longer formats of the game. “You cannot run a team by acting like Maula Jatt (violent Pakistani fictional character) – ‘Bring this, do this, do that’ etc. You’re not playing T20,” Akhtar said. “You can play T20 cricket with T20 skills, but in longer formats, you need awareness, intelligence, and method as well. How do you create this package?”
Akhtar also recalled the lessons from the past, saying, “They used to teach us way back in the 80s and 90s in club cricket how to play run-a-ball. Even us tailenders knew that we have to play run-a-ball,” highlighting the difference between the approach in earlier times and today’s methods.
With Babar Azam under the microscope and Pakistan’s prospects hanging by a thread, the team’s performance in the upcoming clash with India will be critical to their chances of progressing in the tournament.