Pakistan’s men’s cricket team captain Babar Azam is one of the most prolific batsmen of the modern era. The 28-year-old has been consistently producing impressive performances across all three formats of the game for quite some time, yet he continues to face criticism from all sides.
Following Pakistan’s comprehensive 3-0 Test series defeat at home to England in December 2020, there were calls for Azam to be removed from the captaincy. Numerous former greats, experts, and fans alike demanded a change in leadership.
Despite all the criticism, Babar has always had the unwavering support of his teammates. Time and again, they have come to his defense, lambasting his critics for being too harsh. The latest player to join the chorus of support is star batter Iftikhar Ahmed, who, in an interview with Samma TV, implored those criticizing Babar to take a moment to reflect on their own accomplishments.
“Babar jaisa kaptaan, mere khayal mein jitni bhi cricket humne cricket kheli hai aur jitna hum, aap aur saari duniya dekh rahi hai, to Babar jaisa player, mere khayal mein saare world mein nahi hein. (Everyone knows that there is no other player like Babar in the world),” Iftikhar said.
“Pehle apne vo level ko dekhein, ki haan mein us level ka cricketer hoon ki mein uske baare mein baat karun. Pehele toh Babar jaisa cricketer apne aap ko banao, fir Babar par tankeed karo (People criticising Babar should first see whether they are at a level, where they can comment on him. First, reach his level and become a cricketer like him, and then criticise Babar),” he added.
A few days ago, Pakistan’s white-ball vice captain Shadab Khan expressed his strong support for Babar, proclaiming that he is even more valuable than the Kohinoor diamond. Khan further noted that Pakistan, as a nation, is not adequately recognizing Babar’s immense worth.
Pakistan endured a disappointing 2022 Test season at home under Babar Azam’s captaincy, failing to secure a single victory. To make matters worse, they recently suffered a series loss to New Zealand in their own backyard.
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