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Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden, who closely collaborated with Babar Azam during his tenure as a part of Pakistan‘s coaching staff for two T20 World Cup campaigns, shared his insights on Babar’s decision to step down as captain across all formats. Hayden, who served as Pakistan’s batting consultant and team mentor in the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups, respectively, reflected on Babar’s leadership and performance as a batter.
Pakistan’s post-World Cup turmoil
Following Pakistan’s dismal performance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the Men in Green find themselves in a state of disarray, marked by significant departures from key positions. The aftermath of the World Cup has witnessed a series of exits, highlighting the challenges faced by the team.
The former South African fast bowler Morne Morkel left his position as the team’s bowling coach. The latest blow came with Babar’s announcement of stepping down from captaincy duties in all formats
Matthew Hayden reflects on Babar Azam’s captaincy decision
Hayden acknowledged Babar’s dual role as captain and key batter for Pakistan. He highlighted Babar’s leadership traits, expressing confidence in his ability to lead Pakistan cricket forward. Hayden further credited Babar for his contributions both as a captain and a top-order batter.
“Whoever was doing the numbers was clearly not looking at them when it came to Babar’s performances as non-captain and captain. Because he had better numbers as a captain. We are talking about an average of 50 and more. So he was a natural leader. I think they have potentially shot the gun a little bit early in terms of his leadership capabilities. I would have liked to see him get a little more time,” Hayden was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
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Leadership traits and challenges
In discussing Pakistan’s failure to qualify for the World Cup semifinals, Hayden emphasized that the team’s challenges extended beyond leadership concerns. He pointed out injury woes and the loss of form among crucial players as factors influencing the team’s overall performance. According to the 52-year-old, the team faced multifaceted challenges that impacted their campaign.
“Firstly, they didn’t have Naseem (Shah). I believe they had some concerns over their world-class left-arm pacer. We watched Shaheen closely during the Asia Cup and he looked a bit underdone. Fakhar Zaman didn’t really arrive in the tournament and then when he did, it was probably a bit too late for Pakistan. Nawaz and Shadab were finding it very difficult to retain their spot in 2023, which they didn’t in the World Cup. So there were a lot of challenges in the setup itself,” the Queensland-born cricketer concluded.
