Tag: Babar Azam

Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali has come out in staunch support of former skipper Babar Azam, urging fans and critics alike to show patience and respect for Pakistan’s premier batter during a difficult phase in his career.

Speaking during the post-match press conference after the Karachi Kings’ defeat to Lahore Qalandars in PSL 10, Hasan was asked about his now-famous line “King karlega” — a comment he had made in support of Babar Azam in the past.

Without hesitation, the Champions Trophy 2017 hero stood by his words and called Babar “Pakistan’s best player.”

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“We made Babar the king, and we are also bringing him down,” Hasan said. “If my comment ‘King karlega’ hurt anyone, I apologise. But my stance remains the same: Babar is our best batter, and he will bounce back.”

The right-arm pacer acknowledged that Babar is going through a tough time but made it clear that a few lean outings shouldn’t define the legacy of a player who has carried Pakistan’s batting for years.

Hasan Ali also touched on the darker side of criticism, drawing attention to the abusive crowd behaviour witnessed during Pakistan’s recent tour of New Zealand — a trend he strongly condemned.

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“Criticism for improvement is fine, but when families are targeted, it affects everyone,” he said. “I understand that as public figures, we’re always under scrutiny. Our job is to respond with performances, not with words.”

Hasan, who last played for Pakistan in May 2024, hasn’t given up on a national comeback either. “I’m still young and believe in my ability. Performances here will decide my international future,” he added.

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RAWALPINDI: Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam blamed poor execution for the loss against Islamabad United in the fifth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Sahibzada Farhan’s sublime century and Imad Wasim’s three-wicket haul powered Islamabad United to a 102 runs victory against Peshawar Zalmi.

In a tough chase for 244 runs, Zalmi fell short, bowled out for just 141 in 18.2 overs. The standout performer for Zalmi was wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris, who slammed an impressive 87—his highest score in PSL history.

The innings got off to a disastrous start for Zalmi as skipper Babar Azam was sent packing for a mere one run in the second over, falling prey to Ben Dwarshuis.

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While speaking during the post-match presentation, Babar lamented poor batting and bowling performance while remaining hopeful for a strong comeback.

“I think execution has been a concern for us — we’ve struggled in both batting and bowling. We need to sit down, regroup, and reflect. There are still a lot of matches left, and hopefully, we can make a strong comeback soon,” he said.

Babar Azam praised Peshawar Zalmi’s think tank, saying that it was wonderful to have brilliant cricketers who continuously guided the team.

“Our think tank is legendary — it’s great to have some brilliant cricketers guiding us. They’re constantly discussing ways to improve and perform well, ” he added.

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The 30-year-old deemed the PSL a big stage, noting that it’s natural for youngsters to crumble under pressure.

“PSL is a big stage, so it’s natural for some of our youngsters to falter under pressure. That’s part of the game, but they have to learn quickly.”

“We need to fix our mistakes and make sure we don’t repeat them in the upcoming games,” Babar concluded.

READ: PSL 10: Islamabad United crush Peshawar Zalmi in dominant display

Pakistan’s opening batter, Saim Ayub, who represents Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, spoke about his recent return from injury and his bond with ace batter Babar Azam.

In early January, Saim suffered a right ankle fracture while fielding during the first day of the second Test between Pakistan and South Africa. The injury ruled him out for 10 weeks, preventing him from featuring in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The incident occurred in the seventh over of South Africa’s first innings when Ryan Rickelton played a fuller-length delivery from Mohammad Abbas past the slip cordon into the deep third-wicket region.

In an exclusive interview with the franchise, Saim described the rehabilitation process as challenging and enjoyable and expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its support during his injury.

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“The PCB helped me tremendously during this tough phase. Now that I’m back on the field, I’m enjoying cricket even more – I missed everything about it: the ground atmosphere, batting, bowling, and fielding,” he added.

Saim Ayub also shared his bond with his franchise opening partner, Babar Azam, lauding the invaluable support from Pakistan’s ace batter.

“I’ve talked a lot about Babar bhai over the past two years. He treats everyone equally and makes batting partnerships enjoyable. I always plan my approach according to who I’m batting with,” the Karachi-born batter stated.

The left-handed batter expressed his excitement about playing the game again and the much-awaited PSL.

“I wait whole year for the PSL, and when you have to play for a franchise like Peshawar Zalmi, it adds to your level of excitement,” he revealed.

“Playing alongside local and international stars and gelling with the team – it’s been an incredible learning experience. The team culture of Zalmi is fantastic; we, as a team, enjoy every moment together, ” said Saim of the team’s culture.

READ: PSL 10: Islamabad United win toss against Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi’s captain, Babar Azam, shared his thoughts after a crushing defeat against the Quetta Gladiators in the second match of PSL 10 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

In their pursuit of a daunting target of 217 runs, Peshawar Zalmi, captained by Babar Azam, was bowled out for just 136, resulting in an 80-run defeat.

Peshawar Zalmi had a rough start, losing their captain Babar Azam for a duck with only three runs on the board, as he was dismissed by Mohammad Amir in the very first over.

Saim Ayub, returning to competitive cricket after an injury, put up a valiant effort, scoring a fifty off 37 balls, but struggled to find stable partners.

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For the Quetta Gladiators, Abrar Ahmed was the standout performer, taking four wickets for 42 runs in his four overs, while both Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq claimed two wickets each.

Abrar Ahmed was awarded Player of the Match for his remarkable performance.

Babar Azam expressed disappointment over the failure to implement plans, noting that the powerplay during both innings was crucial.

“I think we failed to execute our plans. The first six overs in both innings proved to be crucial, and we lost momentum during those phases,” he said.

The skipper pointed out that the pitch behaved differently while batting second.

“The pitch behaved a bit differently in the second innings and kept a bit low at times. It’s not an excuse, but the lack of partnerships and the regular fall of wickets really hurt us,” he observed.

The right-handed batsman praised Saim Ayub’s performance, highlighting Inzamam-ul-Haq’s influence in the dressing room.

“Saim’s knock was outstanding — he’s definitely going to be a key player for Peshawar Zalmi this season.”

“Having someone like Inzamam as a mentor is invaluable. He shares his wealth of experience, and the youngsters are eager to learn from him,” he concluded.

READ: PSL 10: Karachi Kings win toss against Multan Sultans

Former cricketer Salman Butt has urged fans to support Pakistan batters Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam amid challenging times.

The duo has struggled in recent times to lift their team out of trouble. Under Rizwan’s captaincy, the Pakistan team faced an early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a major international cricket event hosted by the country after 29 years.

Following the Champions Trophy debacle, the Pakistan team suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the New Zealand cricket team, who sealed both the T20I and ODI series comprehensively.

The Men in Green were completely outplayed in all forms of the game. Babar Azam, who had a terrible time during the Champions Trophy, did manage to get some good scores. However, he failed to take his team over the line.

While speaking to a digital platform, Salman Butt stressed the need for performance oriented approach in the national team.

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The former opener remarked that there should not be any personal criticism of players.

“It’s not about Babar and Rizwan. It is about any player in the world. It is (national team) is a performane oriented place.  Those players who perform will be appreciated, and those who don’t will face criticism,” he said.

“The criticism should be constructive, and it shouldn’t be that you come on someone and start picking on them,” he added.

The former opener said that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are great servants of the Pakistan team, and it’s also necessary for them to upgrade themselves.

“They [Babar, Rizwan] have done great service for Pakistan. It is also important to highlight where they are lacking and it is also important for them to upgrade themselves and this is for every player in the world, ” he concluded.

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NAPIER: The Pakistan One Day International (ODI) squad assembled here on Thursday for the three-match series against New Zealand, which begins on 29 March.

The ODI team included Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, and eight players from Pakistan’s T20 squad.

The national cricketers and management are seen greeting each other in a video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board on its social media ahead of the white-ball matches.

Earlier, PCB made two additions to the national ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, bringing in fast bowler Haris Rauf and wicket-keeper Usman Khan.

Rauf was Pakistan’s most consistent bowler in the recently concluded T20I series, where the Green Shirts suffered a 4-1 defeat.

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He played a crucial role by taking eight wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 12.25, resulting in his inclusion in the ODI squad to strengthen Pakistan’s pace attack.

Meanwhile, Usman Khan has been added as a reserve wicket-keeper, with skipper Mohammad Rizwan continuing as the team’s primary choice behind the stumps.

The squad includes the above-mentioned Haris and Usman as well as Salman Ali Agha, Khushdil Shah, Irfan Khan Niazi, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Mohammad Ali.

Meanwhile, the remaining eight members of the T20I squad are set to depart from New Zealand for Pakistan via Dubai.

This group includes Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Umair Bin Yousuf, Hassan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, and Jahandad Khan.

The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and New Zealand will kick off on March 29 in Napier. The second match is scheduled for April 2 in Hamilton, while the series will conclude with the final ODI in Mount Maunganui on April 5.

Pakistan squad for ODI series against New Zealand

Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Haris Rauf, and Usman Khan.

READ: Three Bangladesh cricketers granted NOC to feature in PSL 10

The long-running debate between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli has once again resurfaced, this time with former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter and renowned commentator Ian Smith offering his verdict.

According to Smith, the head-to-head battle between the two modern-day greats has tilted in Kohli’s favour in recent times.

For the past six years, the Babar vs. Kohli debate has been a staple discussion in the cricketing world. Both batters have been the backbone of their respective teams, showcasing immense skill and consistency.

Their similar batting techniques often draw comparisons, with fans and experts alike offering their takes on who holds the upper hand.

Ian Smith, in his latest article analyzing Pakistan cricket’s struggles, became the newest voice to join the discussion.

“They [Pakistan] throw Babar Azam up against Virat Kohli, as king against king. But of late, Virat is winning that head-to-head,” Smith wrote.

Beyond individual comparisons, Smith also delved into the structural issues affecting Pakistan cricket, highlighting two major factors—limited earning opportunities for players and constant instability within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

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He pointed out that Pakistan cricketers are unable to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or other franchises heavily influenced by Indian ownership, which restricts their financial growth and exposure to top-level T20 competition.

“Pakistan players can’t play in the IPL and earn those riches, or in fact, many of the leagues around the world which are principally Indian-owned,” Smith noted.

The former New Zealand cricketer also emphasized the volatile nature of the Pakistan cricket administration, citing frequent personnel changes as a key reason behind the team’s inconsistency.

“It’s a volatile environment, Pakistan cricket. They’ve had more personnel changes amongst the board, the administrators, the selectors, coaches, and players than you can poke a stick at,” he wrote.

To illustrate his point, Smith threw out a challenge, highlighting the rapid captaincy changes Pakistan has undergone in recent years.

“I’ll challenge you and your mates over a few beers at any stage—name the last 10 Pakistan captains, and I’ll wager you’ll only have to go back seven years or so to line them all up. It is a veritable revolving door of world cricket.”

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Pakistan batter Umar Akmal has made a surprising assertion about assisting star batter Babar Azam in overcoming his difficulties against spin bowlers.

Babar has been under scrutiny lately, primarily due to his struggles against spinners, with a significant number of his recent dismissals coming against spin bowlers.

Several former cricketers have expressed concerns about Babar’s limited shot selection against spin.

In light of these challenges, Umar Akmal, during a recent interview with a private TV channel, recounted a moment when Babar sought his advice on how to handle spin successfully.

“I distinctly remember when he was having difficulties with spinners, getting out around midwicket. He came to me and said, ‘Umar bhai, I’m having a bit of trouble,'” Akmal shared.

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“I asked him about his grip on the bat and suggested that when facing a spinner, he should adjust his grip and keep his eyes on the ball until it’s halfway to him. From there, he could choose to cut it or play a shot that wouldn’t go flat,” he added.

Babar Azam, who was once celebrated for his prowess against spinners with an impressive average of 82.1 through the end of 2021, has seen that figure drop to around 48 in the years that followed.

In 2023, he had a strike rate of 77.7 against spin, which decreased to 68.4 the next year. By 2025, his strike rate plummeted to just 60.3, and he has been dismissed 20 times by spin within his last 39 innings.

READ: Babar Azam, Naseem Shah misfire as Karachi Whites humble Lahore Blues

LAHORE: Pakistan’s top batter Babar Azam and ace pacer Naseem Shah failed to impress on their return to the National T20 Cup as Karachi Whites secured a comprehensive victory against Lahore Blues here at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.

The duo was rested for Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand after the national team’s disappointing performance in the recently concluded Champions Trophy.

Initially, there were reports that both players had opted out of the National T20 Cup. However, Naseem and Babar featured in the playing XI of Lahore Blues for their match against Karachi Whites.

Babar Azam and Naseem Shah both fell short of expectations, with Babar scoring a scratchy knock of 23 off 17 deliveries, while Naseem remained wicketless conceding 41 runs in his four overs.

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The home team was bundled out for 134 in 18.4 overs while chasing 172. This was Lahore’s first defeat in the 18-team tournament. Qasim Akram remained top scorer with his 36 off 28 deliveries, laced with four fours and one six.

For Karachi Whites, Arif Yaqoob was the stand-out bowler, taking four wickets for 23 runs in his four overs. Fast bowler Mohammad Umar and spinner Danish Aziz equally contributed to the victory, each claiming two wickets

Earlier, Karachi Blues posted a daunting total of 172 in their 20 overs, thanks to Saud Shakeel’s half-century.

The southpaw continued his good form, top-scoring with 73 off 52 balls striking eight fours and three sixes in his decisive knock.

In the final phase of the innings, Danish Aziz (23) and Saqib Khan (20) contributed with a quick-fire stand to help Karachi reach a formidable total.

For Lahore Blues, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Irfan, and Nisar Ahmed bagged one wicket each in their allocated overs.

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Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has raised concerns over the decision to push Babar Azam up the order in ODIs, questioning whether the country is truly lacking specialist openers.

Babar, who has been struggling to regain his best form, hasn’t scored a century since August 2023, when he smashed 151 against Nepal. His performances have come under intense scrutiny, especially after Pakistan’s disappointing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Ahead of the tournament, Pakistan’s management experimented with Babar as an opener in the tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, where he could only manage 10, 23, and 29.

Despite those underwhelming numbers, he retained the role in the Champions Trophy but failed to make a significant impact, scoring 64 and 23 against New Zealand and India, respectively.

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This move hasn’t gone down well with many former cricketers, and Imad Wasim has now joined the list of critics questioning the logic behind it.

“Nobody has achieved what Babar has in ODI cricket so far,” Imad said. “You had a player who could bat for 40 overs and was doing great at No. 3, so why would you suddenly make him open?”

He further pointed out that Pakistan has historically produced quality openers, making it baffling why the management felt the need to alter Babar’s role.

“Don’t we have any other opener in the whole country?” Imad asked. “Sometimes, I fail to understand the logic behind some of these decisions. We are not moving in the right direction; in fact, we are going backwards.”

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