Tag: Babar Azam

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has defended star batter Babar Azam despite his below-par performance after the first Test against England in Multan on Friday.

The home team suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 47 runs, becoming the first team to be defeated by an innings after scoring more than 500 runs in one of the innings.

Shan Masood played a brilliant 151-run knock in the first innings, steering his side to a mammoth 556, however, in the second innings he managed only 11. Meanwhile, Babar returned with scores of 30 and 5 in the Multan Test.

While addressing the post-match press conference, the Pakistan captain expressed his faith in Babar, calling him the best batter in the team.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“There is no doubt that Babar Azam is Pakistan’s best batter. We need to give him some time and think that he’s just one innings away from a comeback,” he stated.

It’s worth noting that Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently.

He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings last month after a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, where he managed 64 runs in four innings. His bad form continued in the first Test against England, extending his string of low scores.

He last crossed the 50-run mark in red-ball cricket back in December 2022 against New Zealand with a marathon 161-run knock. Since then, he has played 16 innings with a highest score of 39 against Sri Lanka in July 2023.

READ: PCB adds Aleem Dar to new selection committee

DUBAI: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam moved up, surpassing Indian batting prodigy Yashasvi Jaiswal in the latest ICC T20I Batting Rankings on Wednesday.

Jaiswal was not named in India’s squad for the ongoing T20I series against Bangladesh, consequently, losing valuable rating points. He is now ranked fifth with 749 rating points, behind Babar Azam (755).

Meanwhile, Pakistani wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan is also among the top-ten batters in the T20I rankings, sitting in the sixth spot with 746 rating points.

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf also made a significant gain as he rose two places to 24th due to Bangladesh bowlers Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed dropping two and seven places respectively.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Indian players enjoyed their rise in ICC T20I rankings following their dominant seven-wicket victory in the first of the three-match T20I series.

Hardik Pandya jumped seven places to 60th in the batting rankings after his quickfire 39* during the run chase against Bangladesh. He also claimed one wicket and rose four places to 3rd place in the ICC T20I All-rounders rankings.

Pace bowler Arshdeep Singh took three wickets and jumped eight spots to claim the 8th spot in the bowling rankings, which is led by England spinner Adil Rashid.

READ: Joe Root goes past Younis Khan, Brian Lara’s record in Test cricket

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has recently opened up about the replacement of Babar Azam as the national white-ball captain.

Babar stepped down from the position last week, announcing his decision through social media. He attributed the decision to a heavy workload and his intention to focus more on batting.

“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar Azam in a statement on his social media platforms.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.

During a recent media interaction, the PCB chairman was asked about the potential candidate to replace Babar as captain.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He revealed that he has assigned the selection committee to assign a new captain after ‘careful consideration’.

“I have told them to take a decision after careful consideration because the captain’s position is important,” Mohsin Naqvi said.

Remember, this was Babar Azam’s second reign as Pakistan captain. His first tenure ended in November 2023 following Pakistan’s dismal run at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

The star batter relinquished all-format captaincy but was reinstated as white-ball captain in March this year. He led Pakistan in three bilateral T20I series against New Zealand, Ireland and England respectively before captaining the former champions in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan had a lacklustre outing in the mega event as the 2009 champions, in a first, crashed out of the tournament from the group stage, mainly due to their gut-wrenching defeats against the United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India.

READ: PCB Chairman ‘confident’ about India’s participation in Champions Trophy

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has labelled Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi as major threats for the home side in the upcoming white-ball series.

Pakistan is set to tour Australia in November for a six-match white-ball series, which will embark with the ODI series on 4 November.

The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the series opener, while the subsequent matches are scheduled on November 8 and 10 in Adelaide and Perth, respectively.

The ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20I series, scheduled to commence on November 14.

Glenn Maxwell, while talking to the media in Melbourne, highlighted the unpredictability of Pakistan and labelled the Green Shirts as a dangerous opposition.

“The Pakistan team can be very dangerous at different times. They have been challenging opponents for us in the past,” stated Maxwell.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“When you’re playing against a team like Pakistan, they can be unpredictable, which makes it so hard to play against them, you never know what to expect from them.”

Maxwell then heaped praise on Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi. He emphasized that the Australian team should effectively deal with the challenge posed by Babar and Shaheen in the upcoming series.

“They’ve got some world-class players, we’ve got to keep an eye on Babar Azam, he is a superstar player, and Shaheen Afridi, he is a magician with the new ball,” the all-rounder said.

“We are not taking this series lightly. We are preparing for the series; we need to deliver our best to get the upper hand against Pakistan.”

Schedule of Pakistan’s white-ball tour to Australia

Pakistan vs Australia ODI series schedule:

November 4: First ODI at MCG, Melbourne
November 8: Second ODI at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
November 10: Third ODI at Perth Stadium, Perth

Pakistan vs Australia T20I series schedule:

November 14: First T20I at The Gabba, Brisbane
November 16: Second T20I at SCG, Sydney
November 18: Third T20I at Bellerive Oval, Hobart

READ: England captain wary of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah threat in first Pakistan Test

England batter Zak Crawley has spoken highly of former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and identified him as a significant danger leading up to the upcoming Test series, commencing on 7th October in Multan.

Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently, the highlight of which was his dismal run in the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh last month.

He managed a meagre 64 runs in four innings during the Bangladesh series, consequently, crashing out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings.

He last crossed the 50-run mark in red-ball cricket back in December 2022 against New Zealand with a marathon 161-run knock. Since then, he has played 16 innings with a highest score of 39 against Sri Lanka in July 2023.

However, Zak Crawley, during the press conference after England’s practice session in Multan on Friday, stated that Babar Azam is not out of form.

“I would never say that Babar Azam is out of form. The way he plays is beautiful, he is a graceful player,” said Crawley.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The 26-year-old batter further shared that England’s bowlers have to be at their best to get Babar out in the upcoming series.

“He’s a class act and we have to be at our best to get him out,” he added.

It’s worth noting that Babar Azam on Tuesday, stunned the cricket fraternity when he announced that he was stepping down from the role of Pakistan’s white-ball captain with immediate effect.

In a detailed statement, issued on his social media platforms, the right-handed batter shared he made the decision to focus on his “playing role”.

Meanwhile, Zak Crawley also acknowledged the strength of Pakistan’s batting lineup and emphasized that England would not be underestimating them.

“As a batter myself, I know that form comes and goes, but class never leaves you. That batting line-up of Pakistan is a class batting line-up. We don’t underestimate them,” he said.

“There are guys in there who can take the game away from you. So, we are going to be at our best to get them out and win the series,” he concluded.

READ: England captain Ben Stokes doubtful for first Test against Pakistan

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan picked wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman as the potential candidates to take up Pakistan’s white-ball captaincy after Babar Azam’s resignation.

Younis addressed the media during his visit to the iconic Adelaide Oval and stated that relinquishing the captaincy may benefit Babar to improve his performance as a batter.

“Stepping away from the captaincy will be beneficial for Babar Azam,” said Younis.

“In our culture, we often make the biggest player the captain, which I believe is a mistake. Either Mohammad Rizwan or Fakhar Zaman should be considered for the role,” he added.

The 2009 T20 World Cup-winning captain also commented on the current state of the national men’s cricket team and expressed hope for them to do well in Australia.

“I hope the Pakistan men’s cricket team performs well in Australia. The current squad includes young players, and there are certainly some issues with team selection that need to be addressed,” Younis said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Younis Khan then went on to laud Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie, stating that the former Australian pacer is working hard for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

“I have played cricket with Jason Gillespie; he is working hard to improve the Pakistan team. However, there needs to be better decision-making when it comes to selection,” he said.

For the unversed, Younis Khan is on a visit to Australia to participate in the upcoming Australian Summer Cricket Festival, scheduled for October 5 in Melbourne.

The former Pakistan captain will be accompanied by Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk in the event, which is focused to celebrate the sport and converge the cricketing talent from all over the globe.

READ: PCB unveils commentary panel for Pakistan-England Tests

Former South Africa captain and legendary batter AB de Villiers reacted to Babar Azam’s resignation from the white-ball captaincy of the Pakistan men’s cricket team.

Babar on Tuesday, stunned the cricket fraternity when he announced that he was stepping down from the role of Pakistan’s white-ball captain with immediate effect.

In a detailed statement, issued on his social media platforms, the right-handed batter shared he made the decision to focus on his “playing role”.

“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Babar Azam termed his time as Pakistan captain a rewarding experience but claimed it added workload for the star batter, who wants to enjoy his batting.

“Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.

“By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth.

“I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player.

“Thank you for your love and support.”

Meanwhile, South Africa’s batting great AB de Villiers backed Babar Azam’s decision and expressed his hope that the right-handed batter would score more runs after relinquishing the leadership responsibility.

“Congrats. You’ve been great. Now for plenty more runs for your team,” wrote de Villiers in reply to Babar’s retirement post on X, formerly Twitter.

READ: Former pacer believes Kirsten’s report led to Babar’s resignation

Former Pakistan pacer Yasir Arafat claimed that white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten’s report after the national team’s dismal run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 resulted in Babar Azam’s resignation from captaincy.

Kirsten reportedly wrote a confidential report to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which got leaked in the media, in which he highlighted the issues that contributed to Pakistan’s disastrous performance during the T20 World Cup 2024.

The former champions, under the captaincy of Babar Azam, were knocked out of the group stage of the tournament for the first time, mainly due to their upset defeat against co-host United States of America (USA) in the campaign opener, followed by a gut-wrenching defeat against arch-rivals India.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Meanwhile, three months after the national team’s early exit from the mega event, Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam, shockingly announced to step down from the role to focus more on his batting.

But, former Pakistan cricketer Yasir Arafat was of the view that Babar’s resignation was linked with Gary Kirsten’s report.

“If you remember, after the end of the T20 World Cup 2024 Gary Kirsten wrote a report,” said Arafat.

“So, I think, the recommendations he gave, especially regarding Babar’s captaincy after analyzing his leadership in England and also in the World Cup, led to Babar’s resignation.

“Also, he [Kirsten] had analyzed that Babar was not the perfect candidate for Pakistan captaincy.”

Earlier today, it was reported that Gary Kirsten wanted Babar Azam to continue as the captain of the ODI team. However, he was keen on replacing Babar as captain in T20I format.

However, Babar decided to quit as captain from both formats and informed a top official in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) before announcing his resignation.

READ: Hasan Ali reacts to Babar Azam’s resignation as Pakistan captain

DUBAI: Pakistan batter Babar Azam experienced a one-place drop, while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan gained one spot in the latest ICC Test Batting Rankings released on Wednesday.

Babar had a forgettable home series against Bangladesh last month, where he managed 64 runs in four innings and crashed out of the top ten batters in the ICC Test rankings.

The right-handed batter was placed at the 11th spot, however, he slipped one more place to the 12th position with 712 rating points.

Meanwhile, Rizwan rose up one place to the seventh spot with 720 rating points, solidifying his position as the highest-ranked Pakistani batter in the ICC rankings.

It’s worth noting that Indian players enjoyed significant gains in the ICC rankings following their remarkable clean sweep over Bangladesh in the home Test series.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli made the biggest jump as he rose six places to sixth place with 724 rating points after his contributions of 47 and 29* in the famous Kanpur Test victory.

Meanwhile, young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal jumped two places to claim his career-best third position in the ICC Test batting rankings. He scored quick half-centuries in both innings and earned the Player of the Match award in the Kanpur Test.

On the bowling front, Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah edged teammate Ravichandran Ashwin to claim the top spot in the ICC rankings.

Bumrah holds a narrow one-point lead over Ashwin after taking 11 wickets in the series victory against Bangladesh.

Notably, second-ranked Ashwin was adjudged Player of the Series with as many wickets and a century in the first Test.

READ: Hasan Ali reacts to Babar Azam’s resignation as Pakistan captain

Pakistan pace bowler Hasan Ali has responded to Babar Azam stepping down as the national white-ball captain.

Babar announced his decision on Tuesday night through social media, citing heavy workload and his intention to focus more on batting.

“Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month,” stated Babar Azam in a statement on his social media platforms.

“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” he added.

Hasan Ali shared a heartfelt message on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, expressing his deep respect for playing under the leadership of Babar Azam.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He affectionately referred to Babar as the ‘king‘ and extended his well-wishes to the star batter for the next phase of his journey.

“It’s been a pleasure and honoured playing under your captaincy! So many great memories and victories together. Looking forward to seeing you shine in the next chapter King. All the best. And stay blessed,” Hasan Ali posted.

Remember, this was Babar Azam’s second reign as Pakistan captain. His first tenure ended in November 2023 following Pakistan’s dismal run at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

The star batter relinquished all-format captaincy but was reinstated as white-ball captain in March this year.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan ‘strongest candidate’ to replace Babar Azam as Pakistan captain