'Babar ka run khud ke liye banana and run banakar jeetana alag cheez hai' - Former Pakistan legend lashes out at Babar Azam

Pakistan's journey in the 2023 World Cup has been a rollercoaster ride. After a tumultuous start, including off-field controversies and a string of four consecutive losses, their prospects were bleak. However, a significant turning point occurred when they secured a commanding 7-wicket victory against Bangladesh in Kolkata. Following South Africa's convincing win over New Zealand, Pakistan's fate in the tournament is now in their hands. To advance to the semi-finals, they must win their remaining matches against England and New Zealand, ensuring a superior run rate for the Kiwis.

The star Pakistan batter Babar Azam, has been an enigma in the 2023 World Cup. Despite delivering three half-centuries in seven matches, an intriguing pattern has emerged. In all three matches where Babar scored over 50 runs, Pakistan ended up losing to India, Afghanistan, and South Africa, despite his significant contributions. Conversely, in their wins against the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, Babar had scores of 5, 10, and 9, much lower than his usual standards. This paradox has confounded fans and analysts as the team seems to win when Babar does not perform, raising questions about his role in Pakistan's fortunes.

“Babar Azam ka run run karna alag cheez hai lekin Babar Azam ke score se match jeetna alag hai. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul wagera kya karte hai? Woh apne run bhi karte hai, balls bhi khelte hai aur apne team ko jita ke bhi ate hai. (Babar scoring runs and Babar scoring runs in a winning cause are two different things. Look at what Virat Kohli and KL Rahul do. They score their runs, consume deliveries and make sure they win the match for the team),” Afridi said on SAMAA TV.

 Half-century from Babar is not enough to win matches

While it is essential to note that a team's success is not solely determined by one player, a pattern seems to emerge in Babar Azam's approach to his innings. Shahid Afridi, former Pakistan captain, highlights a key factor in Pakistan's struggles: Babar's inability to convert his starts into substantial scores.

The match against India saw a turning point when Babar got dismissed, triggering a batting collapse. A similar situation occurred in the games against Afghanistan and South Africa, where Babar took his time to reach a half-century but failed to accelerate and make a significant impact, raising questions about the true value of his half-centuries.