Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam continues to face strong criticism for his slow strike rate during the first match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali expressed disappointment over Babar’s performance, saying, “Agha Salman played faster than Babar Azam as he scored 42 runs off 28 balls and tried to win the game for Pakistan, while Babar only played for himself.”
Basit further pointed out that even Khushdil Shah managed to score 69 off 49 balls, questioning whether anyone would ask Babar if he was playing for personal milestones or for the country.
“The moment we criticize Babar on social media, we are labelled as traitors,” he added.
Earlier, Shoaib Akhtar had also criticized Babar, stating, “Babar Azam has become the product he was meant to be. It’s clear now that he has no intention of improving.”
Pakistan’s chances of making it to the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 took a significant hit after a disappointing defeat against New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament.
On February 19, at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan suffered a 60-run loss in a one-sided contest. Chasing a target of 321 runs, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel opened the innings but played too cautiously, which contributed to the defeat.
Pakistan’s bowlers also failed to deliver an effective performance.
Among the batters, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan struggled, while Babar Azam managed to score a half-century, but it wasn’t enough to turn the game around.
Babar faced 90 balls, scoring 64 runs with six fours and one six, but his slow strike rate drew significant criticism from fans and analysts alike.
