Tag: Babar Azam

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has thrown his weight behind wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan as the next captain of the national white-ball team.

The current white-ball captain Babar Azam has been under fire following Pakistan’s lacklustre ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in June, where they got knocked out from the group stage.

Many fans and critics have attributed the Green Shirts’ disastrous performance to Babar’s captaincy and called for his removal as captain.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to hold a high-profile meeting on September 22, dubbed “Connection Camp”, to discuss the future of the national cricket team as well as all-format captaincy.

Basit Ali, in a video on his YouTube channel, gave his opinion on the ongoing speculations about Mohammad Rizwan replacing Babar Azam as the captain.

He highlighted Rizwan’s leadership skills, which are on full display during the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup, where the wicketkeeper is leading Markhors.

“The way [Mohammad] Rizwan led the side, he proved there is no better skipper than him. He has shown it with his captaincy,” said Basit Ali.

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“He read the pitch; it is a big thing. Even Babar can’t do that. I am not even talking about Shan. If you don’t make him captain at this time, then it is a loss for Pakistan. This is the best time you should make Rizwan the captain.”

Prior to Basit, former captain Moin Khan also acknowledged Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership skills but claimed the 32-year-old to be a short-term option.

He instead called for grooming a youngster for the national team’s leadership.

“A single captain can be appointed for all formats of cricket, but it’s crucial for any player to perform across all formats to achieve this,” said Moin.

“Whoever becomes captain should have the responsibility for the long term. There is no doubt about Mohammad Rizwan’s abilities; any criticism against him might be due to his age.

“It’s also important to consider how long he can represent the team if given leadership. Mohammad Rizwan could be a great short-term captain, but you would need to groom a young cricketer to take over in the future. We often appoint captains but fail to prepare a suitable deputy.”

It’s worth noting that Rizwan-led Markhors have won both of their matches in the Champions One-Day Cup and are sitting at the top of the points table.

WATCH: Babar Azam hits Shahnawaz Dahani for five consecutive fours

FAISALABAD: Pakistan batter Babar Azam, representing Stallions in the Champions Cup, showed his batting masterclass by hitting Shahnawaz Dahani for five consecutive fours during the game against Markhors here on Sunday.

Coming to bowl the 8th over of the inning, his first, Dahani started with a dot ball, however, Babar Azam hit the second delivery for a four.

The right-handed batter then guided the third delivery through the third slip for another boundary.

The Pakistan white-ball captain was not finished as he hit Shahnawaz Dahani for consecutive fours on the remaining deliveries of his first over, which proved to be his only over in the match.

However, Babar Azam failed to stay at the crease for a long period as he was dismissed by spinner Zahid Mahmood in the 16th over.

He departed after scoring 45 off 44 deliveries, leaving Stallions reeling at 85 for the loss of four wickets as they continued their chase of a 232-run target.

After Babar’s dismissal, Stallions’ batters failed to pose any threat to the spin attack of Zahid Mahmood and Salman Ali Agha as they bundled out for a meagre 105 runs in 23.4 overs.

Except for Shan Masood (19) and Babar Azam, no other batter managed to reach the double figures.

Zahid Mahmood claimed 5-18, while Salman Ali Agha and Naseem Shah managed three and two wickets respectively.

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Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim recalled getting ‘surprised’ when Babar Azam was reinstated as the white-ball captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, earlier this year.

Imad Wasim, along with pacer Mohammad Amir, came out of retirement ahead of the mega-event. However, his performance in the tournament was underwhelming, as he managed only three wickets and 19 runs throughout Pakistan’s campaign.

According to an interview quoted by Hindustan Times, Imad Wasim said: “Yes, I was surprised, what can I say, it’s ultimately the selector’s call.”

“Whatever they thought was the best option, they picked and they picked the team [accordingly].

“Everybody in Pakistan was surprised, not just me. So, I can’t say no that I was not surprised.”

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For the unversed, Babar Azam has been under fire following Pakistan’s lacklustre ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, where they got knocked out from the group stage.

Many fans and critics have attributed the Green Shirts’ disastrous performance to Babar’s captaincy and called for his removal as captain.

The right-handed batter previously relinquished captaincy in all formats after the team’s group-stage exit from the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

Shan Masood was named Test captain whereas pacer Shaheen Afridi was named T20I captain. However, Babar was reinstated as the white-ball skipper for the series against England and Ireland leading up to the T20 World Cup.

READ: Multan to host first-ever T20I series as Pakistan face South Africa tomorrow

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan offered a piece of advice to white-ball captain Babar Azam, stating he should focus solely on his performance.

Younis addressed the media here on Saturday and shared that he only has one piece of advice to under-fire Babar Azam and that is to “perform”.

“My only advice to Babar Azam is to perform. He became the captain [of the national team] only because he was a performer,” said Younis.

“There are high expectations from Babar, and while players use social media, their real answers should come through the bat and ball,” he added.

Younis Khan further advised Babar Azam to think beyond captaincy. He also cited an example of India’s batting star Virat Kohli, who according to the former Pakistan captain, excelled after relinquishing the role.

“Performance is what matters; captaincy is a small thing,” Younis stated.

Younis, who holds the record of scoring the most Test runs for Pakistan, also asserted that Babar has the potential to surpass him, stating that the star batter can accumulate 15,000 runs in the format.

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Younis Khan then went on to urge the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to revamp departmental cricket.

“I could play cricket because of UBL. Departmental cricket has sustained many players, and its revival is crucial,” he said.

The former captain also acknowledged the prominence of franchise league cricket but emphasized that domestic cricket should not be overlooked.

Remember, the PCB decided to hold a high-profile meeting on September 22, dubbed “Connection Camp”, to discuss the future of the national cricket team as well as all-format captaincy.

But Younis Khan was of the view that the cricketing body should refrain from sudden changes, specifically in coaching setup and leadership.

READ: Commentary panel for Pakistan-South Africa T20I series unveiled

Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, who has been under fire for his below-par batting performances, has faced another setback as he got clean-bowled by a local bowler during a practice match.

Babar is currently gearing up for the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup, where he will be representing the Stallions side, led by young wicket-keeper Mohammad Haris.

The aforementioned dismissal occurred during a practice match between the Stallions and the Lions.

Babar Azam attempted a paddle sweep against left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar., however, he missed the ball, which sneaked under his bat and hit his stumps.

Pakistan’s ace batter Babar Azam 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.

He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings after a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, where he managed 64 runs in four innings.

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He will look to regain his form in the Champions One-Day Cup playing for the Stallions, who will kick off their tournament campaign against Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Lions on 13 September.

Stallions squad (to be trimmed to 15 on 10 September)

Mohammad Haris (captain, Peshawar), Abrar Ahmed (Karachi), Adil Amin (Peshawar), Azam Khan (Peshawar), Babar Azam (Lahore), Haris Rauf (Islamabad), Hussain Talat (Lahore), Jahandad Khan (Rawalpindi), Junaid Ali (Lahore), Maaz Ahmad Sadaqat (Peshawar), Mehran Mumtaz (Rawalpindi), Mohammad Ali (Sialkot), Mohammad Amir Khan (Swat), Saad Khan (Hyderabad), Shamyl Hussain (Islamabad), Shan Masood (Karachi), Tayyab Tahir (Sarai Alamgir), Ubaid Shah (Lahore), Yasir Khan (Rawalpindi) and Zaman Khan (Mirpur)

Mentor – Shoaib Malik

READ: Saud Shakeel calls Sarfaraz Ahmed’s experience a ‘massive boost’

Indian batter KL Rahul has recently ranked Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam above swashbuckling Australian opener Travis Head.

During a recent cricket challenge, Rahul was given the names of five international batters and was asked to rank them according to his preferences.

The first name that popped up was — Travis Head, which Rahul placed fifth, followed by India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, who was ranked second.

The next was aggressive Indian batter and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who Rahul placed third.

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli were the final two names on the list. KL Rahul ranked Babar fourth while, Virat was placed at the top of the list.

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Rahul next faced a similar challenge about the top five bowlers according to his preference.

Enngland’s legendary pacer James Anderson was the first name, which was ranked second by Rahul, while South African legend Steyn was given the top spot.

The next up was Bumrah’s teammate Jasprit Bumrah, who was ranked third. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s spin wizard Rashid Khan and Pakistan’s pace sensation Naseem Shah were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.

KL Rahul’s top five batters

1. Virat Kohli
2. Rohit Sharma
3. Suryakumar Yadav
4. Babar Azam
5. Travis Head

KL Rahul’s top five bowlers

1. James Anderson
2. Dale Steyn
3. Jasprit Bumrah
4. Rashid Khan
5. Naseem Shah

READ: Toss of Afghanistan-New Zealand Test delayed due to wet outfield

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to hold a high-profile meeting and workshop to discuss the future of the national cricket team as well as all-format captaincy.

According to the sources, the meeting, dubbed the “Connection Camp” is likely to be held on September 22 and will be presided by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who will also attend the workshop.

The high-profile meeting will also feature the current head coaches of the Pakistan red-ball and white-ball teams, Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten respectively, accompanied by the heads of international, domestic, and high-performance departments while senior cricketers, coaches and PCB officials will also be in the attendance.

Notably, Kirsten had left for South Africa after submitting his report regarding the Pakistan cricket team’s performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 whereas Gillespie left for Australia after the conclusion of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh this week.

Details further suggested that the future of the current Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam will come under discussion and there is a chance that he may get removed from the position ahead of Pakistan’s tour to Australia later this year.

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Babar, who relinquished all-format captaincy following the national team’s dismal run at the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, was reinstated as white-ball captain in March this year.

He led Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 where the former champions suffered gut-wrenching defeats against United States of America (USA) and arch-rivals India, which eventually resulted in them failing to qualify for the Super Eights stage for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Meanwhile, Shan Masood’s captaincy as Pakistan Test captain has also come under scrutiny.

Remember, Shan, who was given the leadership of the Pakistan Test side in November 2023, is yet to lead the national team to a victory. He has lost five matches as Pakistan Test captain, three against Australia and two against Bangladesh.

READ: Ashwin sympathizes with Pakistan cricket after Bangladesh whitewash

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper batter Kamran Akmal pinpointed technical flaws in star batter Babar Azam’s batting technique amid his rough patch across formats.

Pakistan’s ace batter 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.

Meanwhile, Kamran Akmal in an interview with a local sports platform, termed Babar Azam still the best batter of the country before highlighting technical errors in his batting recently.

“I still believe Babar is Pakistan’s number one batter. Every player goes through a rough patch. But even then, you have to play according to the situation, and you have to survive the tough times,” Akmal said.

Akmal then claimed to have noticed a regular error made by Babar in the early phase of his knocks, stating that the right-handed batter seems unsure of his off-stump.

“What I noticed in this Test series is that early on, when he comes to bat, he plays so shakily that he seems unsure of where his off-stump is, and his leg stump gets exposed from behind. Balls that should be played towards cover are being played straight, and the bat doesn’t go towards the ball’s direction,” Akmal stated.

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Kamran Akmal was of the view that the flaws in Babar Azam’s batting technique arose due to his recent struggles.

“There’s a difference in his technique because his performance isn’t up to the mark, and the pressure is increasing. He needs to fix these small things because this isn’t Babar’s standard,” said Akmal.

“Babar made his name through his performance. Now, Babar needs to perform, or else he might lose his place in the Test team,” he concluded.

READ: “I wouldn’t let him come near the team,” Kamran Akmal blasts Pakistan batter

DUBAI: Pakistan batter Babar Azam faced a significant downfall as he crashed out of the top ten in the latest update of the ICC Test Batting Rankings on Wednesday.

Bangladesh outclassed Pakistan by six wickets in the second Test match to complete the clean sweep and win their first-ever series against the Green Shirts. The touring side had won the first Test thumpingly by 10 wickets.

The humiliating series loss resulted in the Pakistan cricket team falling to their lowest ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings since 1965 as they slipped to eighth.

Moreover, Pakistan’s players also witnessed a significant decline in their individual ICC Test rankings.

Babar Azam, who had a forgettable home series against Bangladesh, scored 64 runs in four innings and dropped three places to 12th in the ICC Test Batting Rankings.

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Mohammad Rizwan is the highest-ranked Pakistan batter as he held on to his tenth position, courtesy of his 294 runs in the series against Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha gained nine places to reach 31st and skipper Shan Masood rose four places to 63rd.

On the other hand, vice-captain Saud Shakeel dropped seven places to 20th, while opening batter Abdullah Shafique slipped from 34th to 42nd position.

Pakistan’s pace bowler Shaheen Afridi also dropped out of the top ten as he slipped one place from 10th to 11th with 709 rating points in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings.

Pace sensation Naseem Shah also lost two spots to 35th, while mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed dropped three places to 49th.

Meanwhile, Khurram Shahzad, who was the second-highest wicket-taker in the series against Bangladesh, made a big leap of 35 spots to reach 60th.

READ: Pakistan dropped to lowest Test rankings since 1965

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has refuted the rumours of a rift between white-ball captain Babar Azam and left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi.

The rumours of tension between the star players have been circulating in the media since Shaheen replaced Babar as the captain of the T20I team in the aftermath of a disastrous ICC ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.

However, Zaka Ashraf, who was serving as the chairman of the PCB Management Committee, at that time dispelled the rumours of rift and claimed that the team unity actually improved after Shaheen’s appointment.

“No, the unity didn’t end [after removing Babar Azam as captain]. In fact, the unity improved. When we told him to play as a player, which is his talent, but as a captain, his performance is not good, he agreed,” he stated during an interview at a local news channel.

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Zaka Ashraf also defended his decision to appoint Shan Masood as the captain of the Test team and Mohammad Hafeez as the team director, while denying rumours of grouping in the team.

“No, there was no grouping. The team was good. And we brought Shan Masood as the captain. He was a very good captain. He is still a very good player,” he added

“And our management, along with the team, Mohammad Hafeez, an excellent cricketer, a very honest person, we brought him along. Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, and these players, we brought them along so that the coaching staff is with the team.”

For the unversed, Shaheen Afridi was removed as captain after one series and Babar Azam was reinstated as the white-ball captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2023, where Pakistan crashed out in the first round.

READ: Jason Gillespie to depart for Australia after Pakistan-Bangladesh series