- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf differed over the idea of asking Babar Azam, who is leading the country in the World Cup for the first time, to step down.
By: Shubham Ghosh
PAKISTAN cricket has witnessed an explosion after its national team lost a one-sided game against arch-rivals India in the ongoing World Cup 2023. While a number of former Pakistan cricketers have brutally criticised the current ones, including captain Babar Azam, some others have hit back at the critics for such takes when the tournament is still on.
Former captain Shoaib Malik, for instance, has questioned Azam’s captaincy after India hammered Pakistan by seven wickets after triggering an unbelievable collapse at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat on Saturday (14). Pakistan, who were well placed at 155 for 2, lost their remaining eight wickets for only 36 runs after India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bowled Azam, who scored his team’s only half-century in the game.
During a talk on a Pakistani channel, Malik advised Azam to quit captaincy and concentrate on his own game and suggested that speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi should take up the reins.
Another former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf was not impressed with Malik’s remarks saying he should not have made them in the middle of a big tournament. He was also upset that Wasim Akram, one of Pakistan’s greatest cricketers, did not correct Malik despite being present on the occasion.
“Look, I’ll be honest with you about this. Babar would need to give up captaincy, as I have previously stated in other interviews. Although it is simply my opinion, a tonne of homework went into it. As a player, Babar has tremendous potential for both personal and team success. I think Shaheen Shah Afridi should become the next Captain of ODI in case Babar Azam resigns,” Malik had said on A-Sports while discussing Pakistan’s eighth loss against India in World Cup.
Yousuf said such remarks should not be made when the World Cup is underway and cited the example of 1992 when Pakistan won the World Cup under Imran Khan despite doing poorly in the 1983 and 1987 editions under him.
“During the World Cup, I don’t think anybody should talk about this. Secondly, Imran Khan captained in 1983 and 1987 and lost both times before winning on his third attempt in 1992. Any good player should be allowed to continue as a captain for a long time,” Yousuf said on Pakistan’s Samaa TV.
“He (Babar) is the captain because he has the ability. He did not become the captain because he is related to the PCB chairman. He is a genuine skipper. So talking about him in this manner is a loss for Pakistan and for him as well, especially amid the immense pressure post that loss against India. I am shocked that Wasim Akram, who was sitting there, did not stop him either,” Yousuf added.
Azam is captaining Pakistan in a World Cup for the first time and before losing to India, his side defeated Sri Lanka by chasing down 345 in 50 overs, a record in the tournament’s 48-year-old history. The defeat against Pakistan was their first in the tournament after two consecutive wins over the Netherlands and Lanka.
Akram also lashed out at the Pakistan cricketers after the loss to India saying on a chat show that there is no fitness test or the Yo-Yo test for the national cricketers.
Speaking on A-Sports, the 57-year-old former bowling all-rounder drew a comparison between the Indian and Pakistani cricketers playing in Ahmedabad and said he was concerned over the fitness of the Pakistani lot.
“Now, there is no fitness test. When Misbah was the coach and selector, he used to get the Yo-Yo Test and other tests done. A professional cricketer should undergo a fitness test at least once in a month. If you won’t do this, you will face this (defeat vs India),” the former cricketer, who had played a key role in Pakistan’s 1992 triumph, said.
