In a much-anticipated clash on Saturday, India and Pakistan faced off in the ODI World Cup 2023 at the grand Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The cricketing world was eagerly awaiting this battle of the giants. However, India emerged as the victors, securing a comfortable seven-wicket win by chasing down a modest 192-run target in just 30.3 overs.
This marks Pakistan’s second defeat to India in two months, following their loss in the Asia Cup 2023 back in September. As the ‘Men in Green’ grapple with their recent loss in the World Cup, questions about Babar Azam’s captaincy have taken center stage. Follow your favourite cricket team with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.
Opinions on Babar’s future as captain are divided. Some argue that the 29-year-old should be given more time, while others believe it’s time for a change. One prominent voice in the discussion is Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik, who is a former captain himself.
Malik suggested that Babar should step down from captaincy, emphasizing that he has the potential to shine as a batsman, and this could greatly benefit the team.
Expressing his views, Malik stated, “Look, I will give you my honest opinion on this. I have already said this in previous interviews that Babar should leave captaincy, it is just my opinion but there’s a lot of homework behind it. Babar, as a player, can do wonders for himself as well as the team.”
Malik made it clear that his opinion wasn’t solely based on the recent loss to India but rather stems from his long-term observations. He pointed out that Babar Azam tends to stay within a conventional approach under pressure, and this has been a consistent feature of his leadership style.
“I think that Babar, as a leader, doesn’t think out of the box. One shouldn’t mix his leadership with his batting skills as they both are different. He has been a captain for a long time now, but he hasn’t been able to improve himself,” concluded the 41-year-old former skipper.
As the cricketing world buzzes with this debate, Babar Azam’s future as Pakistan’s captain remains a topic of keen interest and discussion among fans and cricket pundits alike. Get free cricket betting tips from Nextbet Sports.
