Pakistani captain Babar Azam is the favorite target of critics at the moment. With his team losing the first two matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup, to the USA and India respectively, Babar has been the focus of criticism coming from former cricketers, fans and pundits. Even Ahmed Shehzad, an active Pakistani cricketer, attacked Babar and destroyed his reputation on a Pakistani television channel. Shehzad clarified Babar’s poor statistics in big competitions and suggested that the Pakistan captain averages just 27 in T20I cricket when it comes to big events.
In a fiery speech live on television, Shehzad said that Pakistan has lost to mediocre teams under Babar’s captaincy, and even to B, C and D teams of the top teams.
“Jab se Babar Azam captain hain, hum mediocre bohot, sorry for using this word, times se haar rahe hain (Since Babar became captain, we have lost to mediocre teams),” he said.
Ahmed Shehzad, “Jab ap har jaye para Babar Azam bed se chalang marne lage the, Shadab ne 4 din se roti nhi khayi. pic.twitter.com/bcCAi5LCDH
– (@CallMeSheri1) June 10, 2024
Ahmed Shehzad on a television program, in a video that went viral. “The kind of progress that was happening, these things were predicted and would happen someday.”
Shehzad feels that Pakistan’s veteran players should have stepped up and taken responsibility for the team’s 120 runs against India, but they failed to do so.
“There are players who have taken care of the team for 4-5 years, who make all the decisions. So wasn’t it his duty to take the responsibility of ensuring the team chased 120 to win such an important match? against India?” Shehzad asked.
“Aapne B, C, D teams ke khilaaf perform kar ke logon ko hallucinate kiya hai aur pagal banaya hai (you played against B, C, D teams and deceived the people)”, Shehzad accused the team and further said: “Your salaries increased, the PCB paid for you to improve and your cricket…”
Ahmed Shehzad, “Rei ka mai kya kro jisne mujhe combina hi jeetwa ke nhi dena.” pic.twitter.com/kEYeuH8Nhj
– (@CallMeSheri1) June 10, 2024
The discarded Pakistan batsman claimed that 1,400 of Babar’s runs in T20Is have come in the losing cause, which puts him third on that list.
“His (Babar) scores in major competitions… his average is 27 and strike rate is 112. And 1,400 of his runs have come in a losing cause, which is third in the world on that list. So these statistics are which king, tell me this? What should I do with this king who cannot win us the game?” Shehzad said.
To conclude, Shehzad alleged that Babar put his friends in the team and misled the entire public.
“You deceived the entire public. Aap apne dosto ke saath team bana rahe hain, dosto ko team ke even rakh rahe hain (You are forming a team with your friends, keeping your friends on the team),” said Shehzad.
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