Pakistan Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad strongly criticized former captain Babar Azam following his disappointing performance against India in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Taking to social media platform X, Shehzad suggested that Babar Azam’s latest failure could become a defining moment in his T20 career, pointing to the growing pressure surrounding the star batter’s performances in the shortest format.
“Babar gone once again. Maybe it was his last dance to prove his worth in this format,” Shehzad wrote.
Babar Azam has struggled to make a significant impact in the tournament so far. He scored 15 runs against the Netherlands in Pakistan’s opening match and followed it with 46 off 32 deliveries against the United States. However, he was unable to convert his start into a major score in the crucial clash against India.
Against India, the 31-year-old has now played six T20 Internationals, scoring 110 runs at an average of 22 and a strike rate of 123.59, including one half-century.
Chasing a target of 176, Pakistan came under heavy pressure early in their innings. At the time of filing this report, the team was struggling at 73-5 in 11 overs, with Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan at the crease.
Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for a duck by Hardik Pandya, while Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha fell cheaply to Jasprit Bumrah for six and four runs, respectively. Usman Khan top-scored with 44 off 34 balls, hitting six fours and one six.
With Pakistan’s batting faltering once again in a high-stakes match, criticism of Babar’s role and performance in T20 cricket appears to be intensifying.