Skipper Babar Azam has been facing backlash from all corners after Pakistan’s 2024 T20 World Cup campaign ended early in the group stage. The star batter failed to inspire his team and had another underwhelming ICC event with the bat. Pakistan, who were the runner-ups of 2022 edition, suffered a shocking defeat to the USA, which derailed their campaign, while a nervy loss to arch-rivals India was the final nail in the coffin for them. Babar has been under the scanners for Pakistan’s below-par show under his captaincy in the last two white-ball ICC events.
Several former Pakistan cricketers didn’t shy away from bashing Babar’s batting approach in the shortest format and bashed the ones who compared him with legends of the game in the past.
Recently, a video of Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth went viral on social media, where they burst into laughter when asked to choose between Brian Lara and Babar Azam. It’s a clip from Star Sports’ Caught & Bold show. The host asked Harbhajan and Sreesanth to pick one between Lara and Sangakkara, and the former chose the Windies great, who was next put up against Babar.
Harbhajan and Sreesanth failed to control themselves and just burst out laughing.
However, the Pakistan captain’s fans came in his support and called Harbhajan’s reaction insensitive.
Meanwhile, after exit from the T20 WC, Babar spoke about his future as Pakistan’s white-ball captain. Babar assured everyone that he would “openly” tell everyone if he decided to step down as the skipper yet again.
“Secondly – about the captaincy – when I had left it, I thought that I shouldn’t be doing it now, that’s why I left it, and I announced it myself,” Babar said in the post-match press conference.
“Then when they gave it back to me, it was the decision of the PCB. When I go back, we will discuss all the things that happened here. And if I have to leave the captaincy, this decision, I will tell you openly. I will not announce anything behind the scenes. Whatever happens, will happen in front of you. But for now, I have not thought about it. The decision is of the PCB,” he added.
