Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has strongly criticised captain Babar Azam following Pakistan’s disappointing 3-0 Test series loss in England. Wasim Akram questioned Babar’s leadership after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made major changes to the squad during the tour.
After the first two matches, the PCB sacked coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul and removed seven players from the squad. However, Babar Azam later said that he was not aware of the board’s decision and suggested that questions about the changes should be asked directly to the PCB.
Wasim Akram was asked about Babar Azam’s comments at a charity event on Sunday. He sarcastically questioned how the Pakistan captain could remain unaware of such an important decision while leading the team in England.
Wasim Akram’s response was that if Babar Azam genuinely had no knowledge of the major squad changes, it raised questions about his role and involvement as captain. He asked whether he was selling chickpeas in England if he had no clue of PCB’s action. He also stressed that players need to feel supported by their captain and leader in order to give their best on the field.
Wasim Akram also questioned Babar Azam’s decision to accept the Test captaincy after the PCB asked him to replace Shan Masood. According to Wasim Akram, Babar Azam should either have refused the captaincy when it was offered to him or stepped down after Pakistan suffered its second defeat. He made it clear that this was his personal opinion and that others could view the situation differently.
The former Pakistan captain also suggested that Babar Azam could have told the PCB after the second Test that he wanted to continue only as a player rather than remaining the captain.
Meanwhile, the PCB has also come under criticism following Pakistan’s poor results. However, there has reportedly been reluctance in Pakistan to openly criticise the cricket board, with Mohsin Naqvi, the country’s interior minister, also serving as PCB chairman.
As a result, Babar Azam has faced significant criticism following the 3-0 series defeat in England. Before Wasim Akram, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar had described Babar as a “weak” personality, while former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif called him a “dummy captain”.
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