- Shaheen Shah Afridi describes Babar as team’s backbone.
- Pakistan to host England, Sri Lanka in ODI tri-series.
- Babar managed 58 runs in four domestic first-class innings.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi on Saturday backed Babar Azam ahead of the home ODI tri-series featuring England and Sri Lanka, dismissing concerns about the star batter’s form following modest returns in Test and domestic cricket.
Shaheen, while addressing the pre-series press conference at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, was asked whether Babar was under pressure due to the string of underwhelming performances in Test and domestic cricket.
The Pakistan captain, in response, dismissed the notion that Babar was under any pressure, before hailing him as the main player and backbone of the side.
“Look, firstly there is no pressure on Babar. He is our main player, and he is the backbone of this team,” Shaheen stated.
Babar, who was reinstated as Pakistan Test captain in July this year, had a spirited start to his second stint in the leadership role as the right-handed batter finished as the joint player of the series in a two-match away assignment against West Indies, which the Green Shirts drew 1-1.
But he could only score one half-century in the Green Shirts’ subsequent assignment – a three-match away Test series against England. Although he missed the opening fixture due to an injury, he could muster only 97 runs in the series at a modest average of 24.25.
After a forgetful England tour, the right-handed batter returned to first-class cricket after around nine years, turning up for the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in two matches of the President’s Trophy Grade-I.
Babar, however, failed to make his first-class return memorable as the right-handed batter mustered 58 runs in four innings at a modest average of just 14.5.
Although Shaheen acknowledged Babar’s recent struggles, particularly in red-ball cricket, the Pakistan captain highlighted the star batter’s contributions in the Green Shirts’ most recent ODI assignment – a three-match series against reigning champions Australia.
During the series, Babar finished as the leading run-getter for Pakistan with 125 in three innings at a decent average of 41.66, helping the home side clinch the series 2-1.
“He also put in some good performances in our last home ODI series and after returning from the England [Test] series. He tried to score runs in domestic cricket as well, but that is part and parcel of the game,” said Shaheen.
“He has always scored runs for Pakistan cricket, and whenever he has represented the country, he has delivered with the bat. Naturally, there is some planning involved, but there are certain aspects of that planning that you cannot control.”