"Where does this so-called superstar come from?" This is the provocative question raised by former cricketer Basit Ali, who speculates that Babar Azam might be left out of Pakistan's lineup for their upcoming match against the USA in the T20 World Cup, following a shaky start to the tournament.
In their opening match against the Netherlands, the Pakistan cricket team faced a nail-biting situation where they narrowly secured victory, thanks largely to Faheem Ashraf's impressive late-game performance which allowed them to chase down a target of 148 runs with just three balls remaining and only three wickets in hand. The pressure is mounting on Babar Azam, the star batter, who scored a mere 15 runs off 18 balls at a strike rate of 83.33 before being dismissed by Roelof van der Merwe.
During a recent episode of the YouTube show "The Game Plan," hosted by Kamran Akmal, Basit Ali expressed his belief that Babar may not feature in the starting eleven for the next match. He highlighted the visible frustration on coach Mike Hesson’s face during the game, implying that such sentiments could lead to significant changes in team selection. "I suspect Babar won’t be playing in the next game. The frustration I saw on coach Hesson’s face indicates he might not want to position Babar at No. 4 again," Basit stated.
Basit did not hold back in his criticism of Babar, questioning his suitability for the T20 format. He suggested that there should be discussions about batting order adjustments, particularly with captain Salman Ali Agha potentially moving up to the No. 3 spot.
"If you consider Babar Azam a superstar in ODIs or Tests, I might see your point. But how can anyone call him a superstar in T20s? Where does that come from?" Basit challenged. He further emphasized that a player who cannot advocate for himself when it comes to batting positions—a move to No. 4—raises concerns. "Doesn’t Babar realize he’s not suited for that role?" he asked, pointing out that even club-level cricketers would recognize that players like Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Faheem Ashraf are more adept in the T20 landscape than Babar. He also mentioned that emerging talents like Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub might outperform Babar in this format.
Kamran Akmal chimed in, noting that management appears to be forcing Babar into the No. 4 role. "Why do we continue these matches against teams like the Netherlands? It’s because we lack a cohesive system. We’re merely accommodating certain players!" he asserted.
This led to a pointed question from Basit: "Has Babar Azam ever clinched a game for us while chasing a required rate of 10 runs per over?" When Kamran sought to assign blame, Basit decisively responded, "It’s Babar’s fault!"
As the discussion shifted towards potential replacements for Babar in the squad, the host mentioned Khawaja Nafay as a candidate, albeit one with limited experience. In response, Basit argued, "The amount of time and chances we’ve given to players like Babar and Mohammad Rizwan, it’s unlikely we’ll find others who have that level of experience."
What do you think? Is it time for Babar Azam to step aside for newer talent, or does he still deserve a chance to prove himself in T20 cricket? Share your thoughts below!
