The fallout from Pakistan’s narrow loss to England in the T20 World Cup Super 8s has centered heavily on the performance of former captain Babar Azam. Despite constant backing from the team management and the cricket board, Azam’s struggle for rhythm continued as he labored to a 24 ball 24, a knock that has been widely panned by experts and former colleagues alike.
Imad Wasim’s Scathing Critique
Speaking on Geo News, veteran all rounder Imad Wasim did not hold back in his assessment of Azam’s accountability. Wasim, who has shared the dressing room with Babar for years, labeled the nature of his dismissal and the lack of intent as inexcusable for a player of his stature.
“How many games are you going to mess up like this? After facing 24 balls, if you get out in that fashion… it’s criminal. You are such a senior player. We saw this against India as well. We don’t have a personal agenda against him, but I’m curious what happens in team meetings. Does he raise his hand and accept it?” Imad questioned.
Questions Over Match Impact
The debate over Babar Azam’s role in the team has intensified as critics point to the “impact” players on opposing sides. Wasim highlighted the contrast between Babar’s steady but slow accumulation and the match winning aggression shown by England’s Harry Brook.
“Sahibzada was also playing; he is the man in form and an opener as well. But Babar came in during the fourth over, not the 11th. When will he help us win a game like Harry Brook does? When will he make an impact in big World Cup matches? Apart from that 2019 World Cup knock against New Zealand and the 2021 T20 World Cup game against India, tell me one impactful innings. You make him open, bat at No. 3, then No. 4-but then what? We are all tired of supporting him,” Wasim added.
The Core Group Under Fire
Imad Wasim was not the only voice expressing frustration. During the same televised discussion, Mohammad Amir and Ahmed Shehzad joined the chorus of disapproval, focusing on the lack of returns from the senior core of the Pakistan squad.
Mohammad Amir noted the longevity of the current group without corresponding success, stating: “For the last two years, we have been talking about how these four or five core players have been given enough chances, and they have yet to perform.”
Ahmed Shehzad was equally critical of the special treatment he believes the senior players have received. “Big players always accept their mistakes. For three years, at the peak of his fitness, he hasn’t delivered. The cricket board facilitated everything within its reach-all for one man-yet nothing has changed,” Shehzad remarked.
Tournament Standing
The loss to England has left Pakistan’s semifinal hopes in a state of near collapse. The team now requires a massive win against Sri Lanka and must hope for a New Zealand defeat to have any statistical chance of progressing. For Babar Azam, the pressure to deliver a defining performance has reached an all time high as the “bits and pieces” philosophy and senior player accountability dominate the national conversation.
