I am saddened that Babar Azam’s efforts went in vain: Shoaib Akhtar

It is fair to say that Pakistan cricket is at its nadir right now. Following the unexpected 0-3 rout against Sri Lanka last month, sweeping changes were made to set-up. Regular skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, under whom Pakistan had risen to the No.1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings, was not stripped of his leadership hut was also ousted from the team all-together.

Babar Azam- the No.1 ranked T20I batsman- was given the responsibility of leading the side in the shortest format of the game. Babar’s first assignment- a three-match T20I series in Australia- was always going to be a tough one. And, while the batsman has done justice to his No.1 rank by scoring back-to-back half-centuries, he has been severely let down by his fellow teammates, something that former fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar also echoed during a video on his official YouTube channel.

“I feel disappointed for Pakistan and especially for Babar who played superbly in both the T20s. There are no batsmen who can take the command like Babar. I am saddened that Babar’s efforts went in vain,” Shoaib Akhtar said on his YouTube Channel.

The former tearaway fast bowler also felt that the wicket offered true bounce and the openers failed to capitalize the conditions on offer, adding that the batsmen did not show any sense of maturity.

Barring Babar Azam, our batsmen lack maturity, says Shoaib Akhtar

Barring Babar Azam, none of the other top-order batsmen got going in Canberra. Fakhar Zaman, who just cannot buy a run at the moment offered another tame dismissal while Haris Sohail repeated the same mistake that he had done in the first game- playing against the line to a ball that went across him. Mohammad Rizwan too failed to force the issue.

“Our batsmen, Haris Sohail, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan lack the maturity of that of Australian batsman Steve Smith,” he said.

Commenting on Pakistan’s bowling, Akhtar lauded Mohammad Amir’s bowling while also mentioning that Muhammad Irfan was struggling with his left leg and the management should have considered the extent of his injury before picking him.

“The management should have thought of Irfan before picking him in the team,” he said. Meanwhile, Pakistan still has a chance to square the series when they take on Australia in the ers T20I on Friday.

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