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Pakistan haven’t been in good form lately, and it has further increased the pressure on captain Babar Azam, who has been receiving plenty of criticism from the media, some former players and fans. The stylish batter led Pakistan to the Asia Cup final last year, where they crashed to a shock defeat vs Sri Lanka. They followed it up with a berth in the T20 World Cup final last year, where they lost to England.
After the T20 World Cup, Pakistan were thrashed by England 3-0 in a three-match Test series, followed by a draw against New Zealand in two Tests. After the Test series, they also lost to the Kiwis 2-1 in a three-match ODI series.
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Despite his individual batting form, Pakistan as a team have failed to replicate Babar’s performance. He finished as the highest run-scorer in international cricket in 2022, registering 2598 runs in 52 innings, including a high score of 196. He also hammered 17 half-centuries and eight tons.
Speaking to Cricket Pakistan, former captain and a legend of the game, Wasim Akram urged everyone to give him time for two-three years and labelled him as ‘the best captain’. “Babar Azam’s captaincy is under criticism these days; in this difficult time, a strong hand of support came on his shoulder. We don’t need any enemy; we are self-sufficient; stop making fun of yourself; if you have Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, or Mike Brierley sitting next to you, then you will understand Babar Azam has a 2-3 years chance. He will prove to be the best captain”, stated Akram.
Akram also had special praise for star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and pointed out that he has leadership skills. “Shaheen Afridi has leadership skills, but there is no need to hurry, he made Lahore Qalandars PSL champions, but now he is the national team”, said the Pakistan legend.
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