babar Azam pakistan
Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad criticized the PCB for reinstating Babar Azam as captain, stating that Azam is not comparable to MS Dhoni.

Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad engaged in a heated on-air debate over Babar Azam’s captaincy and the state of Pakistan cricket ahead of their T20 World Cup opener against hosts USA. During a build-up show on Geo TV, Shehzad was questioned about potential favoritism in Azam’s player selections. Shehzad did not hold back, criticizing Azam and the PCB for what he perceived as carrying out-of-form players for an extended period.

“Speaking of Babar Azam, there is friendship. Look, he is carrying players from a long run. The players are out of form for a long time. It doesn’t look good. If I count the number of matches, you’ll realize players don’t get that long run. If there were any other captain, he wouldn’t have carried players for 35-40 games. He should have thought about himself,” Shehzad said.

“We don’t play cricket to win bilateral series but to win ICC events. Did we win any event in the last 4-5 years? If we didn’t win, I would say there are gangs, friendships, and tola with an agent who has been manipulating cricket for the last 4-5 years,” he added.

READ ALSO | Ricky Ponting Observes Positive Changes in Pakistan’s Team Dynamics Under Babar Azam’s Captaincy

When reminded that many players in Pakistan’s current squad debuted under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, Shehzad pointed out Ahmed’s success in leading Pakistan to victory in the Champions Trophy, defeating India in the final in 2017.

“They [Sarfaraz Ahmed and Co.] produced the results, won the Champions Trophy. It justifies, you also win this event and justify. However, you’ve got a longer run, one captain doesn’t get five events. You were removed and then brought back. I understand if you were MS Dhohi that you were brought back. But no. It’s wrong with Shaheen, you made him captain for two matches and then you removed him,” Shehzad argued.

Babar Azam’s return as Pakistan’s white-ball captain sparked debate following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to reinstate him before the T20 World Cup. This move came after a series of leadership changes and mixed performances under Shaheen Afridi’s brief tenure. Shaan Masood took over the Test captaincy, but after Afridi’s unsuccessful stint, Azam was reinstated.

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Last Updated on June 5, 2024

Senior Sports Copywriter