October 10, 2023
The captain of the Pakistan cricket team and the top-ranked ODI batter, Babar Azam, has been facing consistent challenges in scoring big for his team in multi-nation tournaments since the 2022 T20 Asia Cup and the trend has continued in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.
Babar, 28, is widely recognised as one of Pakistan's finest, if not the greatest, batters ever produced. His talent and ability are held in high esteem not only by fans but also by both former and current cricketers.
Given his star status, fans naturally have high expectations from him. They anticipate that, as a superstar, he would play a crucial role in securing victories for the Men in Green, especially in prestigious tournaments like the Asia Cup and the ICC World Cup.
However, the 28-year-old has not lived up to these expectations, leaving his fans and Pakistani cricket supporters yearning for more.
In the 2019 ICC World Cup held in England, Babar was Pakistan’s top scorer with an impressive tally of 474 runs. However, since then, his performances have been subpar, leading many fans to draw concerning conclusions about his current form.
Here is a detailed breakdown of Babar's performances against each opponent in major tournaments he has participated in since 2022, including the T20 Asia Cup, T20 World Cup, 50-over Asia Cup, and the ongoing World Cup 2023.
Runs | Opponent |
10 | India |
9 | Hong Kong |
14 | India |
0 | Afghanistan |
30 | Sri Lanka (Super Four) |
5 | Sri Lanka (Final) |
Runs | Opponent |
0 | India |
4 | Zimbabwe |
4 | Netherlands |
6 | South Africa |
25 | Bangladesh |
53 | New Zealand (Semi-Final) |
32 | England (Final) |
Runs | Opponent |
151 | Nepal |
17 | Bangladesh |
29 | Sri Lanka (Super Four) |
Runs | Opponent |
5 | Netherlands |
10 | Sri Lanka |
Babar's recent struggles on the field have undoubtedly escalated worries among Pakistani fans, especially as they aspire to see their team lift the World Cup, with the skipper being perceived as the team's most crucial player.
Originally published in Geo Super