Former Pakistan cricketer Imad Wasim talked about Babar Azam being asked to open the innings in the ODIs. He lashed out at the critics, saying that what the right-hander has achieved, nobody has done that and he has the best skills in Pakistan.
Pakistan National Cricket Team batter Babar Azam has come under a massive scanner for his poor form. The right-hander has looked torrid with the bat and is yet to score big runs, which has seen many questioning his place in the team across the formats.
Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Babar Azam was given the new role to open the innings. The right-hander started the new role during the tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand but he couldn’t set the stage on fire in the entire series.
Babar Azam was dropped from the Pakistan team in the T20I format
It was expected that Babar would then come up with a better performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. But that, too, wasn’t the case as he failed in the tournament. The batter hit fifty in the game against New Zealand but was criticized a lot for batting slow. Then, against India, he again bagged a low score.
Following his poor show in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Babar Azam then was dropped from the Pakistan team in the T20I format. He has been named in just the ODI squad for the New Zealand tour but there is no clarity about his batting role.
Nobody has got the skills that Babar Azam has got in one-day cricket – Imad Wasim
While talking about Babar, Imad Wasim said that the batter’s skills in the ODIs are unmatched. He talked about his changed batting position, saying that he was the only player who used to bat 40 overs, and his position was changed. Speaking to the media, he said:
“Now you are saying, I was watching the criticism, now you are saying that you should drop Babar Azam from one-day cricket, which is going on in our country. Look, nobody has got the skills that Babar Azam has got in one-day cricket. I am specifically talking about one-day cricket. Whatever he has achieved, nobody has achieved so far.
“The problem is, you had only one player who used to play 40 overs. You made him open, and you brought in another type of players around him. You keep him at no. 3. You don’t have openers in the whole of Pakistan.”
We are just not moving in the right direction – Imad Wasim
Imad Wasim added that he is surprised with the logic that is being used by the Pakistan management. He pointed out every new appointment in the management is making new decisions, adding that they are not moving in the right direction. He explained:
“I mean, I am surprised that logically, I cannot understand them. Whoever comes on the chair, he changes. Whoever comes, he makes things very different. So, we are just not moving in the right direction. We are just moving backwards. Eventually, I am afraid that if you keep playing like this, you will not qualify for the next Champions Trophy.”
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