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Shahid Afridi criticises Babar Azam's performance at World Cup; compares him to Kohli, KL Rahul

Pakistan captain has been facing heat over his leadership and batting this tournament

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Photos: Agencies
by

Trends Desk

Published: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 1:41 PM

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam heaved a sigh of relief after his side ended their four-match losing streak with a convincing win against Bangladesh in the World Cup.

Babar has been facing heat over his leadership and batting this tournament. In the seven World Cup games so far, Babar has scored 216 runs at an average of 30.85.

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Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi recently shared his views on Babar’s performance with the bat. Bringing in examples of Indian batters Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, the ex-Pakistan all-rounder stated that Babar has not been able to produce match-winning knocks.

"Scoring runs is one thing, but winning matches is another. Players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul not only score runs but also contribute with the ball and help their teams secure victories. I have talked to Babar Azam about this previously," Afridi pointed out on Samaa TV, a Pakistani news channel.

“Observing Babar, it should be clear that when he steps onto the field, he has the potential to secure victories. However, I do not get the feeling that Babar will win you matches when he walks out to bat. The general feeling with Babar is that he will score 50-60 runs when he walks out to bat," the 46-year-old added.

Babar notched his highest score of the tournament (74) against Afghanistan on October 23. He has now brought up three half-centuries at the World Cup.

Facing difficulties in tackling spin bowling has caused Babar some serious trouble at the World Cup. He has gone back to the dressing room five out of seven times this competition while facing spinners such as Colin Ackermann, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Noor Ahmad, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Adam Zampa.

With six points from seven games, Pakistan currently find themselves at the fifth spot in the standings. Their chances of reaching the semi-finals now hang by a thread. A win against New Zealand on Saturday will help them move to level with the Kiwis on eight points from as many games. In their last league fixture, Pakistan will face defending champions and bottom-placed England on November 11.

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Trends Desk

Published: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 1:41 PM

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