Despite hitting a half-century against India, Babar Azam was unableto help his side reach a respectable score.
The captain of Pakistan’s cricket squad for the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup, Babar Azam, is the centre of attention. All it takes for any Pakistani squad to lose to India is one. Babar Azam was unable to guide his team to a respectable total against India, despite scoring a half-century in the match. With Babar Azam top-scoring with a 58-ball fifty, Pakistan was all out for just 191 against India. But Rohit Sharma’s outstanding 86 helped India reach the meagre score in just 30.3 overs.
The 2011 ODI Cricket World Cup winning squad and the 2007 T20 Cricket World Cup winning team’s member, Gautam Gambhir, is a former player for the Indian cricket team and believes Babar Azam should adopt a more positive mindset towards the game.
“Babar needs to adjust, in my opinion, in his demeanour, style of play, and most crucially, perspective. In the past, batters such as Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Saeed Anwar, and Aamer Sohail have been attacked by Pakistan. All three of the players in the top three right now bat similarly. Gautam Gambhir told news agencies, “If anyone has to take responsibility, it has to be their captain, who bats at No. 3.”
“Looking at statistics is pointless. Even though you might surpass all other run scorers in Pakistan, tournament victories—rather than personal bests—create legacy.
Gautam Gambhir went into great depth to elucidate his idea, citing Rohit Sharma as an example.
“The captain sets the tone for the team. Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam both scored fifty. A 50 was received by one, and an 80 by another. Though none of them received a perfect score, the difference was in their methods. Pakistan’s approach would have been to win the match regardless of how quickly they reached 190 overs, he said.
The captain’s assumption of accountability is crucial. A defensive captain will lead to a defensive squad. You cannot say, “You play positive, I will play [anchor] from one end,” to the other ten players in the room.”
Pakistan was all out for 191 after India reduced them to 155 for the loss of two wickets. Former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar lamented the missed chance to score a respectable total on a track that was favourable to batters.
What a squander of a fantastic batting wicket and opportunity. displeased. Extremely let down,” he wrote on X
