Former Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar, believes that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should maintain its trust in the all-format captain, Babar Azam, until the upcoming World Cup 2023.
While speaking to the media, the Rawalpindi Express stated that the unnecessary criticism faced by the Lahore-born cricketer regarding his leadership for quite some time is incomprehensible.
The world’s fastest bowler added that although Babar Azam was not a natural white-ball cricketer, particularly in the shortest format, he worked hard and later proved himself.
Responding to a question about Babar’s captaincy, Akhtar said, “The debate about removing Babar Azam from captaincy is unwarranted. Let Babar Azam captain Pakistan until World Cup 2023.”
It is worth noting that Babar’s captaincy abilities have faced criticism since the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup 2022, and losing a Test series against England has further fueled this debate.
Recent news circulating in the media about resting Babar and other senior players in the T20I series against Afghanistan has reignited the same debate in the cricket fraternity.
It is worth noting that earlier, the former fast bowler criticized Babar Azam for his lack of communication skills in the English language, saying that Babar Azam is not a big brand.
Days later, the Rawalpindi-born pacer lauded Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan for his leadership qualities and potential to lead Pakistan in white-ball cricket in the future.
Babar Azamās recent performance in PSL is a testament to the kind of player he is šµš° šš„ @babarazam258 #psl #pindiexpress pic.twitter.com/rY8fbPKzlv
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) March 10, 2023
