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Former Pakistan cricketer Moin Khan has lambasted Babar Azam‘s leadership after Pakistan’s massive defeat against India at the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup on Saturday. Khan, a seasoned cricketer himself, didn’t hold back in his critique of the Pakistani skipper, branding him a “scared captain.”
Lack of intent was visible: Khan on Babar
Notably, after being asked to bat, Pakistan put on a below-par total of 191 runs in 42.5 overs with Babar scoring 50 off 58 balls. He emphasized that Babar should have maintained a more aggressive stance and attacked the bowlers rather than opting for a defensive approach.
According to Khan, the intent shown by the captain reflects on the entire team’s performance. Babar’s lack of intent, in Khan’s view, may have hindered Pakistan’s chances of setting a competitive total.
“Babar’s batting in terms of intent, as captain, it was not his natural game. He took 58 balls…He should’ve maintained the flow a bit and attacked slightly. Ye to intent hota hain, pura reflect karta hai team ke andar (the intent reflects in the team),” said Khan in a TV show as quoted by TOI.
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Khan observes Babar displayed signs of fear as a captain
Khan further reckoned that Babar displayed signs of fear as the captain. He stated that when the captain appears hesitant to take risks and play attacking shots, it can influence the mindset of other players. This, in turn, can lead to a collective lack of aggression and intent in the team, a scenario he believes played out in Pakistan’s dramatic collapse after being in a strong position during the match against India.
“Aapka kaptaan jab dara hua nazar ayega, nahi khelega, to ladke bhi phir wese hi react karte hain (If your captain looks afraid to play his shots, the other players in the team also react similarly). They looked under pressure, and clearly, because of this, they didn’t execute proper shots. Aap pehle se dare hue honge ‘yaar mai shots khelunga to out na ho jaun’ (you are afraid beforehand, thinking you’ll get out while playing shots). I didn’t see intent from any batters,” he added.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Pakistan’s upcoming matches, and the pressure on Babar to prove himself as a formidable leader and player has undoubtedly intensified.
