After the disastrous Champions Trophy, questions have been raised about Babar Azam and where does he fit in the team. Pakistan’s legendary cricketer, Shoaib Akhtar has suggested that current captain Babar Azam should bat lower down the order, specifically at the number 6 position. Akhtar made these remarks during a segment of The Pavilion.
Joined by fellow cricketers Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, Akhtar’s comments came amid a broader critique of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) management following a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign.
With speculation swirling about potential changes to the squad, Shoaib Akhtar emphasized that while some senior players may face the axe, he believes Babar Azam should remain in the team but adjust his batting position.
“Babar Azam should bat at number 6,” Akhtar stated, a suggestion that raised eyebrows among his co-panelists. Hafeez quickly countered, advocating for Babar to maintain a higher batting position, arguing that his skills are better utilized at the top of the order.
Despite the pushback, Akhtar stood firm in his belief that both Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan are better suited to lower-order positions, ideally at 5 or 6. He did not elaborate further on his reasoning, leaving fans and analysts to ponder the implications of such a shift in batting strategy.
Once Pakistan’s main batsman at one-down, Babar Azam is going through a rough patch lately. Recently, he was asked to open the batting for Pakistan in the absence of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman. The experiment failed as Babar failed to make a mark at the Champions Trophy.