Month: February 2025

New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam faced criticism for not developing a strong bench during his five-year leadership stint. Discarded Test batter Umar Akmal, who has been absent from the national squad since 2019, openly criticized Babar, holding him solely responsible for the team’s lack of depth.

“Babar led the team for almost five years, across most formats, yet he never focused on strengthening the bench due to his personal preferences,” Umar remarked during a TV interview.

Akmal also revealed that when he was in good form and scoring runs in domestic cricket, he approached Babar for a chance to make a comeback.

“I told Babar, look, give me a fair chance. You are performing well in the top order, and I can be your finisher. Together, we can win matches regularly, which will benefit Pakistan cricket,” he said. However, Umar mentioned that his request was ignored.

“He didn’t pay attention to me, and throughout his five-year captaincy, he never made an effort to build a strong bench. Only teams with good backup players perform consistently well across all formats,” he added.

Umar, who is Babar’s cousin, played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs, and 84 T20Is for Pakistan before being dropped from the national team in 2019. Akmal is not the only one to accuse Babar of selfishness. Former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria has also criticized Babar Azam for prioritizing personal milestones.

“If we talk about Babar Azam, he plays for himself. When under pressure, he focuses on maintaining his stats and ICC ranking,” Kaneria told PTI Video.

“I have scored a fifty, I have done it. But where is the intent to win the match for your team?” Kaneria questioned.

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New Delhi: Star Pakistan batsman Babar Azam was absent from the team’s training session prior to the highly anticipated match against India, leading to uncertainty about his place in the starting lineup. Concerns about his performance and eagerness to accumulate runs have been prevalent in recent months.

There are widespread speculations that Babar may not be selected for the upcoming match against India, as he was absent from the practice session on Saturday, February 22. The chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi, was present at the practice, and Babar was the only player who chose to take a day off.

Babar faced significant backlash for scoring 64 runs off 94 balls during the 60-run loss to New Zealand in the first match. The upcoming game against India is crucial for the hosts, who are the reigning champions, as it is a must-win situation.

Interim head coach Aaqib Javed, speaking at the press conference after practice, did not provide a specific explanation for Babar’s absence, stating that the former captain chose to take a break.

As reported by PTI, Naqvi urged captain Mohammad Rizwan, Javed, and the team to put forth their utmost effort in the match against their long-time rivals, India, to ‘silence their critics, including himself’.

Naqvi later informed the media that the team from Pakistan was prepared to compete against India and perform effectively.

“It would be a great game and our team is fully prepared and in my opinion, they are in form. We are with our team, whether they win or lose,” Naqvi said.

In the first match of the Champions Trophy, Babar scored 64 runs off 90 balls while pursuing a challenging target of 321 runs set by New Zealand. As the game progressed, the target seemed increasingly difficult to achieve.

Babar faced additional challenges as he opened the innings alongside Saud Shakeel, who stepped in for Fakhar Zaman, who was sidelined for an extended period due to injury.

Shakeel and Rizwan struggled to find their rhythm with the bat, leaving Babar in a difficult position. The situation deteriorated further when an injured Zaman joined the team, as he was unable to run singles or turn ones into twos, resulting in many runs being missed.

When Salman Agha entered the game and injected some energy into Pakistan’s innings, Babar had already begun to lose his effectiveness, and the target still seemed distant.

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New Delhi: The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry has long been one of the most intense and eagerly anticipated contests in the sport. Over the years, fans have witnessed heated on-field altercations and verbal exchanges that added to the drama of the encounter. However, in recent times, the fiery aggression that once defined these matches has noticeably faded, with players often sharing friendly moments instead.

Former Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz recently shared his thoughts on why the intensity of India-Pakistan matches has diminished, attributing the shift to stricter International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations.

ICC Regulations Have Curbed Aggression, Says Riaz

Speaking ahead of the much-awaited India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to take place in Dubai on Sunday, Riaz reflected on the change in intensity between the two teams. He believes the ICC’s strict rules and regulations have significantly reduced the aggressive interactions that were once common in these high-stakes encounters.

“I believe the ICC’s rules and regulations play a major role. They are very strict about what happens on and off the field. This has cut down on the deep, intense moments where aggression was evident, and players used to engage in heated exchanges. The ICC’s policies have essentially taken that aspect out of the game,” Riaz said while speaking on JioHotstar.

Pakistan’s Struggle with Consistency

As Pakistan gears up to face India, they are under immense pressure to recover from a disappointing 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their opening match of the tournament. Riaz acknowledged that while the team has shown flashes of brilliance, consistency remains a major concern.

A Crucial Opportunity for Pakistan to Bounce Back

Despite the setback, Riaz remains optimistic about Pakistan’s chances against India. He believes that the match presents a crucial opportunity for the team to turn things around and showcase their true potential.

“They (Pakistan) can definitely bounce back by winning against India. Hopefully, they will put on a strong performance. It’s the perfect platform for them to give their best. The team that manages pressure well and stays in the present moment will come out victorious. Pakistan played well in patches, but they lacked consistency. They haven’t played many ODIs lately, focusing more on T20s,” he added.

Can Pakistan Overcome the Pressure?

With the stakes high and their tournament hopes on the line, Pakistan will need to deliver a disciplined and focused performance against India. Whether they can regain their form and maintain composure under pressure remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—the India-Pakistan rivalry continues to captivate cricket fans worldwide.

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