Mohammad Rizwan Calls Out Babar Azam’s Critics

Pakistan’s limited-overs captain Mohammad Rizwan has backed Babar Azam to return to his best form as Pakistan gears up for the tri-series final against New Zealand. Despite the former captain’s recent struggles with the bat, Rizwan believes that Babar’s technical ability and determination will guide him back into run-scoring form, especially with the much-anticipated Champions Trophy just around the corner.

Babar Azam’s form has been a topic of concern for the Pakistan cricket team in recent months, with his batting average seeing a steady decline since the Asia Cup in August 2023.

The 30-year-old averages just 16.50 with the bat this year, with a particularly challenging run in the ongoing tri-series. Babar’s first match against New Zealand resulted in his dismissal for just 10 runs, while his teammates, such as Fakhar Zaman, enjoyed success at the other end.

Despite the downturn in his performances, Mohammad Rizwan is not losing faith in Babar Azam’s ability. He pointed out that the sky-high expectations placed on Babar often diminish his contributions, saying, “Babar has scored so many runs for Pakistan that we expect him to score a hundred every game. If we don’t judge him by those extreme expectations, you’ll see he’s still contributing valuable runs for us.”

The weight of previous performances has added additional pressure on Babar Azam, with Rizwan acknowledging that the high standards set by his previous performances only make his lean patch more noticeable.

However, Rizwan defended his approach, explaining,

As a captain, I expect more from him [Babar Azam] too because of all he has done in the past. There’s obviously additional pressure because of it, and I’m sure he feels that. But Babar is still contributing. It’s not like he has clear technical deficiencies, but he is still being tested. I’m confident he’ll overcome this challenge.

In recent series such as the ODI wins in South Africa and Australia, Babar showed signs of returning to form, with two fifties in South Africa and useful runs in Australia. However, his role shift to opening the batting in the ongoing tri-series has added further complexity.

As Pakistan enters the final of the tri-series, the questions surrounding Babar Azam only get louder. While Mohammad Rizwan has expressed confidence that Babar Azam will return to form, the upcoming Champions Trophy will be another yardstick that will shape his ultimate legacy in international cricket.