Basit Ali Foresees Babar Azam's Exclusion from Pakistan's XI Against USA
Following a narrow victory over the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener, where Pakistan chased down 148 with three balls and three wickets to spare, criticism has mounted against star batter Babar Azam. Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has made a bold prediction, suggesting that Babar may be dropped for the upcoming group stage match against the United States in two days.
Scrutiny After Netherlands Match
In the game against the Netherlands, Babar Azam scored only 15 runs off 18 balls at a strike rate of 83.33 before being dismissed by Roelof van der Merwe. Basit Ali, speaking on the YouTube show The Game Plan alongside Kamran Akmal, expressed his doubts about Babar's place in the team. "I have a feeling that Babar will not play in Pakistan's next game. The anger I saw on coach Mike Hesson's face... I don't think that he will play Babar at no 4 again," Basit Ali stated.
Harsh Criticism of Babar's T20 Suitability
Basit Ali launched a scathing critique of Babar Azam, questioning his status as a superstar in T20 Internationals. "If you call Babar Azam a superstar in ODIs or Tests, I might still agree. But in T20Is? Kahaan se superstar hai? (How is he a superstar?) A batter who drops down from his regular batting position and comes out to bat at no 4, and cannot even tell the management that he's not a no 4 batter! Doesn't Babar know this?" he asked.
He further argued that Babar's game is ill-suited for the fast-paced T20 format, pointing to instances like Steve Smith denying him a single in the Big Bash League to keep him off strike. "His game is not suited to T20s," Basit Ali emphasized, listing players like Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha as better fits for the format.
Questioning Babar's Match-Winning Abilities
During the conversation, Basit Ali posed a critical question: "Has Babar Azam ever won us a game by batting when the required rate was 10 runs per over?" When Kamran Akmal questioned whose fault that was, Basit Ali firmly responded, "Babar ka kasoor hai! (Babar is at fault)." Kamran added that the management is forcibly fitting Babar at No. 4, hindering team development.
Alternatives and Experience Concerns
When discussing potential replacements, the show's host noted that Khawaja Nafay, a candidate waiting in the wings, lacks extensive experience. Basit Ali countered this by highlighting the disproportionate opportunities given to players like Babar and Mohammad Rizwan. "The amount of time you have given to players like Babar and Mohd Rizwan, you won't get others who have that kind of experience," he argued.
This controversy adds to the ongoing debate about Babar Azam's role in Pakistan's T20 setup, with his performance under intense scrutiny as the team prepares for their crucial match against the USA in the T20 World Cup.
