Babar Azam has received a lot of flak for the team’s below-par performance in the ODI WC 2023. Babar Azam‘s led side has won only 2 matches out of 5 and now according to sources, it is believed that there is a rift between the skipper and players after the team’s defeat against Afghanistan in the championship.
The speedsters Shaheen Afridi & Haris Rauf will have to create an impact against South Africa on 27th October at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai which is a kind of do-or-die clash for the Men in Green. Haris Rauf’s express pace hasn’t been productive as he has been at the receiving end which has been a concern for the team.
South Africa is on a roll as not many gave them a chance after losing the match against the Dutch earlier in the tournament. The side has performed exceedingly well in the absence of Temba Bavuma in the last couple of matches who was reported to be ill.
Babar Azam needs to perform and be aggressive- Mohammad Hafeez
Mohammad Hafeez was having an interaction with PTV Sports. Hafeez pointed out that people should back Babar Azam and said that Babar should take a leaf out of Rohit Sharma and lead from the front. Hafeez made it clear that Babar Azam has a lot to attain that he is a great Pakistani batter and will have to prove his mettle in the near future. Hafeez stated that the captaincy of Babar hasn’t been that encouraging ever since past 3 years
“Babar Azam is the captain of Pakistan in this World Cup, and people should back him. He also needs to step up. He needs to perform and be aggressive. Rohit Sharma has been successful because he leads from the front. Babar also needs to do the same,” said Mohammad Hafeez.
“As a player, Babar Azam has performed quite well. It is unfortunate that people expect a lot from him and compare him with others. He is a very, very good player. He is the best player in Pakistan currently,” he stated.
“However, it is unfair for Babar when he is compared to the greats. I have my reservations when he is touted as a great Pakistani player. People who call Babar a great have not seen the real greats of the game. He is not great yet. He has to prove a lot,” he added.
“Babar has shown no growth as captain. There should have been some maturity and tactical improvement in the past three years. Now Babar himself, or the PCB, should need to make a decision regarding his future. They need to decide if the pressure of captaincy should be relieved so that Babar can shine, or if Babar can shine despite having the additional pressure,” he concluded.