Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has defended Babar Azam against excessive criticism, urging cricket fans and analysts to acknowledge the star batter’s past achievements and contributions to Pakistan cricket.
Babar’s recent batting form has come under scrutiny despite Pakistan’s victory in the ODI tri-nation series featuring England and Sri Lanka. In the final against Sri Lanka, Babar was dismissed for a duck after facing just five balls. However, Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant 127-run innings helped Pakistan secure a three-wicket victory.
In a post on X, Imad described Babar as a superstar and one of Pakistan’s finest ODI batters, arguing that nearly a decade of consistent performances should not be overlooked because of a difficult spell. Imad acknowledged that analysing Babar’s form, questioning his technique and discussing his shortcomings were legitimate aspects of cricket commentary, stressing that no player should be beyond criticism.
However, he criticised those who use cricket analysis to pursue personal agendas, express jealousy or engage in character assassination. The former all-rounder also called for constructive criticism, urging analysts to suggest ways for Babar to improve rather than simply highlighting his weaknesses.
He stressed that Pakistan cricket should support its leading players during difficult periods instead of dismissing their previous achievements because of a temporary dip in form.
It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan star batter Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka, extending his disappointing record in international cricket finals. The match marked Babar’s seventh appearance in an international final, but he is yet to score a half-century in any of those seven finals.
Sri Lanka set Pakistan a target of 326 runs to win the final of the tri-nation ODI series at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. After winning the toss, Pakistan elected to bowl first. Sri Lanka posted 325 for eight in their allotted 50 overs, thanks to a brilliant maiden ODI century from Kamindu Mendis, who scored 131 runs. Pavan Rathnayake also made a valuable contribution with 77 runs, while Avishka Fernando added 38.
For Pakistan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Ali Agha claimed two wickets each. Pakistan have suffered just one defeat in the tournament, which came against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka recorded three victories but lost their most recent match against England. Pakistan now need 326 runs to win the tri-nation series title.
