Former Pakistan captain and PCB chief Ramiz Raja revealed that he had a chat with star batter Babar Azam. He stated that Azam was frustrated over personal comments and criticism of his place in the Pakistan team. However, Raja praised Babar for showing constraints in tough times.

Last week, Babar made a century against Sri Lanka in the ODI series in Rawalpindi, ending a run of 807 days and 83 international innings without an international century.  

Ramiz claimed on his YouTube channel that at a recent encounter, Babar told him how frustrated he was.

"I met him recently in a cafe, and he expressed his frustration at the way he had to face criticism and personal comments over his place in the team and his performances," Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.

Ramiz expressed admiration for Babar's decision to ignore all of the abuse he received on various forums.

The former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said he had just one message for Babar: "Just continue to do what you have done, be patient and show restraint, and don't react to outside noises. Because as a player, your only job is to perform on the field. I was very happy to see him back among the runs with his century against Sri Lanka.”

He said Babar didn't need to worry about the strike rate, as he was a stylish player in Tests and ODIs.

"He has all the shots, and he is a treat to watch even when he defends. He shouldn't be worried about strike rates; he just needs to bat longer,” Ramiz added.

(PTI inputs)