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The Pakistan cricket team under the leadership of Babar Azam is grappling with a challenging phase in the ongoing Cricket World Cup. Their journey has been marred by three consecutive defeats, with the most recent blow delivered by Afghanistan, who confidently surpassed Pakistan's target of 283 runs in Chennai.
These losses, coupled with earlier setbacks against cricketing powerhouses India and Australia, have placed Pakistan's aspirations of advancing in the tournament on shaky ground.
The team's underwhelming performance has not gone unnoticed. A chorus of criticism has emerged from the ranks of former Pakistani cricket legends. Icons such as Wasim Akram, Misbah ul Haq, Ramiz Raja, Rashid Latif, Muhammad Hafeez, Aaqib Javed, Shoaib Malik, Moin Khan, and Shoaib Akhtar have voiced their concerns, with the spotlight firmly on Babar Azam's leadership abilities.
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Adding to the controversy was Babar's decision to present his bat to Afghanistan's opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz post the defeat in Chennai. While intended as a sportsmanship gesture, it was met with scepticism and further intensified the clamour for a leadership overhaul.
Aaqib Javed, in a candid conversation with PTI, highlighted a potential successor for Babar. He remarked, "Shaheen (Afridi) is the best bet for the future of Pakistan cricket. Babar has failed to prove himself as an able captain in white-ball formats."
Aaqib, who is deeply integrated with the Lahore Qalandars PSL team – which includes players like Shaheen, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, and Abdullah Shafique – singled out all but Rauf for their lacklustre performance against Afghanistan.
The path ahead for Pakistan is steep. To harbour hopes of reaching the semifinals, they must clinch victories in their forthcoming matches against formidable opponents: England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. With the pressure mounting and the stakes soaring, the cricketing world watches keenly to see how the Men in Green rally in response.
Currently, in the 2023 World Cup standings, Pakistan occupies the fifth position with four points and a net run rate of -0.400, thanks to their two wins from five matches. They are set to clash with South Africa on Friday, October 27, at Chepauk.
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