Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has called on Aqib Javed to take responsibility for the national team’s poor performances, saying the team has been suffering from poor decision-making for the past three years. “Aqib Javed should first look at himself. If he cannot improve Pakistan cricket, he should leave the position,” Azhar said.
According to media reports, he expressed this in an interview with a British newspaper. Azhar said Aqib Javed should stop shifting the blame onto former players, including Sarfaraz Ahmed and Babar Azam, and instead take a critical look at his own performance.
“Aqib Javed should first look at himself. If he cannot improve Pakistan cricket, he should leave the position,” Azhar said. The former captain also described the current situation as one of the most difficult periods for Pakistan cricket and urged Babar Azam to consider his future. Azhar warned that interest in Pakistan cricket is declining and said that unless the situation is addressed, it could become increasingly difficult to bring fans back to the sport.
It is worth mentioning here that Azhar Ali is one of Pakistan’s successful Test batsmen. He represented Pakistan in 97 Tests and 53 ODIs between 2010 and 2022 and also captained the national team. Azhar Ali began his cricketing journey as a leg-spinner but quickly developed his batting skills, eventually earning selection for Pakistan A and later the national team.
Playing in English conditions and facing the Australian bowling attack is a challenging experience for any batsman. To do so in your very first Test match, while batting at number three, makes the challenge even greater. Despite the immense pressure, Azhar Ali impressed with his compact technique and ability to occupy the crease for long periods during his debut Test. He then followed it up with a crucial half-century in the second Test against Australia, which played an important role in Pakistan’s victory.