Pakistan’s ill-fated ICC Champions Trophy campaign came to an unfortunate end as they finished winless, with their final group game against Bangladesh being washed out in Rawalpindi. Hosting their first ICC tournament in 30 years, Pakistan failed to make an impact, with their campaign effectively derailed by a lackluster performance against India.
One of the key players facing scrutiny for the team’s failure is star batter Babar Azam, who struggled throughout the tournament. His timid effort against New Zealand and inability to build on a promising start against India have further intensified criticism. Babar’s poor run of form in international cricket continues, with many within Pakistan cricket circles holding him responsible for the team’s shortcomings.
However, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has emerged as one of the few voices in support of Babar Azam, urging fans to back him during this difficult phase. Speaking on a news channel, Butt highlighted Babar’s achievements and consistency over the years, stating, “His Test average with 9 centuries and 26 fifties is 44.5. One-day average is 56.72 with 19 centuries and 32 half-centuries. In T20Is he has an average of 41, strike-rate of 129. Someone tell me if these stats have been beaten by any single player in Pakistan in the last 20 years.”
Butt further questioned the claims of other players positioning themselves as match-winners, asserting, “The players who are trying to say they are match-winners, combine them and look at how many matches they have won. I think a comparison is warranted.” Pakistan’s team faced harsh criticism after being outclassed by India in all departments, with the gap in quality between the two sides becoming glaringly evident.
“Talk sense. You don’t have a Kohli or a Williamson. Babar is no Kohli. But Babar is the best that we have,” continued Butt. “If he’s not scoring runs, he needs back-up now. When he’s scoring, even if you don’t like him you will have to sing his praises with the world.”
Babar Azam looked composed during his innings of 23 against India but was dismissed attempting a loose drive off a wide delivery from Hardik Pandya. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli went on to score a match-winning century. Despite this, Butt believes this should be a reason to persist with supporting Babar, emphasizing the importance of a strong supporting cast in a team’s success.
