Leading Pakistani player Babar Azam has been suffering from a string of poor outings for the Men in Green. During the current T20 World Cup 2024, Babar has participated in four games and amassed 122 runs at a strike rate of 101.66 and an average of 40.66.
Babar’s inclusion in Pakistan’s T20I squad is questionable, according to former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag, who believes the captain should be withdrawn given his current form.
Babar Azam’s leadership went unnoticed following Pakistan’s elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight round. Babar’s strike rate, in Sehwag’s opinion, is too low and he does not fit the requirements to play in a Twenty20 International match.
“Players don’t hit sixes like Babar Azam does.
Only when he is set and the spinners are spinning does he hit sixes. I have never witnessed him smashing sixes over the covers or utilising his feet to fast bowlers; he prefers to play safe cricket by hitting the ball on the ground. As a result, he regularly gets runs despite having a poor strike rate, Sehwag said to Cricbuzz.
However, a leader must consider whether or not his team will benefit from this game. If not, demote yourself and replace yourself with a player who can score 50–60 runs for the team in the six overs with big shots. It may come out as harsh, but Babar has no business playing for the T20 team if he isn’t the captain. His performances don’t meet the standards of T20 cricket as it exists today, Sehwag continued.
Also read: Babar Azam makes a bold declaration following Pakistan’s first-round T20 World Cup exit
Pakistan just lost to Ireland in their last Group Stage match, and as a result, they were eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2024. The team lost to the Indian squad and the United States team, eliminating them from contention.