Babar Azam has made only 91 runs in six games in T20 World Cup 2026 for Pakistan.
Babar Azam, the ace Pakistan batter, has come under severe criticism after his continuous failures with the bat. This time he was targeted after his failed effort with the bat as Pakistan went down to England in the Super 8s stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Pallekele in Sri Lanka.
England defeated Pakistan by 2 wickets, chasing down 164 runs in the final over thanks to 100 by captain Harry Brook and Will Jacks’ 28. With this win, England also becomes the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.
Earlier, Pakistan had batted first after winning the toss and posted 164/9 in 20 overs, with Sahibzada Farhan scoring 63, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman making 25, and Shadab Khan making 23 runs. Babar Azam’s 25 came in 24 balls with 2 fours, and he was clean bowled by Jamie Overton.
Babar, the highest run-scorer in T20I history, has managed just 91 runs in six matches at the 2026 T20 World Cup, at a strike rate of 112.34.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim slammed Babar's firing, calling it "criminal" given his seniority and experience, during an interview on television. He also questioned Babar's inclusion in the XI, pointing to a lack of big performances in important competitions despite his stature in Pakistani cricket.
“How many games are you going to mess up like this? After facing 24 balls, if you get out in that fashion… it’s criminal. You are such a senior player. We saw this against India as well. We don’t have any personal agenda against him, but I’m curious what happens in team meetings. Does he raise his hand and accept it?
Sahibzada was also playing, and yes, he is the man in form, and he opens as well. But Babar came in the fourth over, not the 11th. When will he help us win a game like Harry Brook does? When will he make an impact in big World Cup matches? Apart from that 2019 World Cup knock against New Zealand and the one against India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, tell me one impactful innings. You make him open, bat at No. 3, then No. 4, but then what?” Imad Wasim asked.
Ex-pacer Mohammad Amir didn’t name Babar directly but questioned the continuous backing of certain players in the team.
“For the last two years, we have been talking about how these four or five core players have been given enough chances, and they have yet to perform,” he said on the show Haarna Mana Hai.
Fellow panelist Ahmed Shehzad also didn’t name Babar but made his anger clear.
“Big players always accept their mistakes. For three years, at the peak of his fitness, he hasn’t delivered. The cricket board facilitated everything within its reach, all for one man, yet nothing has changed,” Shehzad said.
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka next at Pallekele on February 28 in a must-win game in the Super 8s.