Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has raised questions over the impact of star batter Babar Azam in the high-pressure games after the national team’s defeat against India in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2024.
The six-wicket loss on Sunday has left the hosts in a precarious position, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.
While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.
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Speaking on a TV show, Mohammad Hafeez drew comparisons between Babar and former great Inzamam-ul-Haq. He pointed out that Babar has failed to produce a match-winning performance against India in a decade-long career.
“Inzamam bhai used to win matches for Pakistan in tough conditions. Babar Azam has not been able to win a single game against India after playing for 10 years,” Hafeez remarked.
He further highlighted Babar’s lack of standout performances in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, stressing that great players don’t just contribute, but dominate.
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“He [Babar] has no player of the series awards in SENA countries. Forget about the team winning or losing, you should be the player of the series,” Mohammad Hafeez added.
The former all-rounder also believes it’s time for Pakistan to look beyond underperforming players and start backing domestic performers who have been waiting for their chances.
“We need to realize these things and show him the mirror. We need to move on from the players who aren’t delivering as expected,” he added.
“It’s time to give opportunities to players who have been performing in domestic cricket. And of course, the same players will become heroes again in the PSL.”
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