‘Kahaan se superstar hai?’: Ex-Pakistan cricketer says Babar Azam may be dropped for next game | Cricket News
The debate around Babar Azam’s place in Pakistan’s T20I setup shows no signs of easing. The former captain came under sharp criticism after a disappointing outing against the Netherlands in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Group A opener in Colombo on Saturday. Babar’s stay at the crease was brief and ineffective. Walking in after the dismissal of Salman Ali Agha, he struggled to rotate strike and managed only 15 runs from 18 deliveries, slowing Pakistan’s momentum at a crucial stage. His poor shot selection proved costly, allowing the Netherlands to claw their way back into the contest. Pakistan ultimately escaped with a win thanks largely to Faheem Ashraf’s late counterattack of 29 off 11 balls. Without it, the match could have slipped away.
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali was scathing in his assessment, suggesting Babar could even be dropped for the next game against the USA. Speaking on the ‘Game Plan’ show, Ali claimed head coach Mike Hesson was visibly unhappy with Babar’s dismissal. “I have a feeling that Babar will not play in Pakistan’s next game. The anger I saw on coach Mike Hesson’s face… I don’t think that he will play Babar at no 4 again in the next game,” said Ali. Babar’s dismissal came as he attempted to take on the bowling by charging down the track. The ball was flighted invitingly, but he mistimed his lofted drive and was caught comfortably at long-off. Ali went on to question Babar’s suitability for the T20 format, arguing that his reputation does not translate into impact cricket. He pointed to the 31-year-old’s struggles in the Big Bash League with the Sydney Sixers ahead of the World Cup as further evidence. During a match against Sydney Thunder, Babar was denied a single off the final ball of an over by Steve Smith, who was looking to maximise the Power Surge. The incident sparked controversy, with Babar reacting angrily after his dismissal by hitting the boundary rope with his bat. “If you call Babar Azam a superstar in ODIs or Tests, I might still agree. But in T20Is? Kahaan se superstar hai? (How is he a superstar?) A batter who drops down from his regular batting position and comes out to bat at no 4, and cannot even tell the management that he’s not a no 4 batter! Doesn’t Babar know this?” said Basit. “Even a club cricketer will tell you that in T20S, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, they are all better players in the format than Babar! Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are also better T20 players than Babar. Even Salman Ali Agha has shown that he’s a better player at No. 3 than Babar. After what Steve Smith did with Babar Azam in the Big Bash League, people still haven’t become wise! He denied a single just to prevent Babar from getting on strike. His game is not suited to T20s,” he added. Notably, even before the tournament began, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha had made it clear that reputation would not guarantee selection, stating that the team management would not hesitate to drop Babar Azam if he did not fit into the desired team combination.
