Babar Azam was once compared to Virat Kohli. It was said that he was as talented as Kohli or Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson. He was Pakistan’s answer to greatness.
What we saw on the opening day of the Champions Trophy – the first major tournament his country has hosted since he was a toddler – was Babar’s ultimate fall from grace. Chasing 321, Babar scored 64 off 90 balls in an innings that was not just painful to watch, but also infuriating and deeply frustrating. Here was a former Pakistan skipper engaged in what, to the rest of the world, looked like stat-padding.
While his teammates, especially Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah, tried to show intent, Babar was a man lost in his own world of contradictions. He looked an amateur playing a professional game, a selfish individual who had utter disregard for the collective that team sport is all about. In sum, Babar’s innings was a hurtful exhibition of all that is wrong with Pakistan cricket.
It is now do or die for Pakistan. If they lose to India on Sunday, it is curtains. All the celebrations over hosting an ICC event after 29 long years would be done and dusted within five days, and Babar will be held responsible for destroying the dreams of millions.
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If things don’t change on Sunday, Babar should be dropped. Such efforts need to be called out, and don’t deserve a place in the team. With blatant disregard for everything that team sport stands for, Babar harmed Pakistan cricket with his go-slow. And the fans, who had all come out to celebrate their idols, would have left the stadium either stunned into disbelief or angry beyond words.
Pakistan could still beat India, but let’s be honest, it would be a huge surprise it that happened. This is a substandard side with some selfish players. In this present avatar, they don’t deserve to win an ICC event. For the fans, it’s probably a silver lining that the final will be played in Dubai.
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