ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting and former India head coach Ravi Shastri have raised concerns about Babar Azam’s recent form, as questions grow over his role for Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Babar Azam struggled in Pakistan’s tournament opener, scoring 15 off 18 balls in a three-wicket win over Netherlands. The innings came after an unbeaten half-century against Australia in the final match of the pre-World Cup T20I series, but Ponting believes the Pakistan batter is no longer showing his usual fluency.
Speaking on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan, Ponting said Babar Azam appears to have lost some timing and power, especially during the middle overs.
“If you’re 15 off 18 balls, you’re not just putting pressure on yourself, you’re putting pressure on the guy at the other end,” Ponting said. “That batter then knows he has to take on the responsibility of boundary scoring. Babar needs to get going early. He needs boundaries in his first few balls, otherwise the momentum of the game shifts every time he comes in.”
Ponting also questioned whether Babar Azam is currently playing the right role for Pakistan, suggesting his reduced power-hitting is limiting the team’s ability to maximize the middle overs.
Shastri echoed those concerns, saying Babar’s reputation and experience may be adding extra pressure.
“When you’re at that stage of your career, there’s baggage,” Shastri said. “There’s a weight of expectation. People expect you to deliver. In your first few balls, I don’t even mind if you get out, but you have to show intent. Try to hit a couple of boundaries, get into good positions and anticipate what the bowler is doing. That can change things quickly.”
Babar batted at No. 4 against the Netherlands, a move Ponting believes may have increased the pressure on the former Pakistan captain.
“To me, it looks like he’s lost a bit of his power and ball-striking ability,” Ponting said. “I defended him at the start of the tournament because big players with experience are crucial in big events. But Pakistan need the best version of Babar Azam if they want to go deep in this competition.”
Ponting suggested Pakistan should consider moving Babar back to his preferred No. 3 position, where he can make better use of the Powerplay. Shastri agreed that Babar has the experience to adjust but stressed the need to do so quickly in T20 cricket.
Pakistan will look to build momentum when they face United States in their next T20 World Cup match in Colombo on February 10.
