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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has criticised Pakistan's underfire batter Babar Azam after his slow knock in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Netherlands. Ponting feels Babar's scoring rate puts pressure on his teammate. He wants Babar to look for boundaries early on in the innings.
“If you're 15 off 18 balls, you're not just putting pressure on yourself, you're putting pressure on the guy at the other end,” Ponting said in the ICC review.
“The guy at the other end then knows that he's got to be the one to take up the boundary scoring. Babar needs to hit boundaries early on. He needs to get off and going, he needs two boundaries in his first six balls, otherwise the whole momentum of the game is going to change every time he goes in.”
Babar walked out to bat at no.4 in the run chase against Netherlands. Pakistan survived a scare as the required run rate seemed to slip out of the grasp. The Dutch fielders faltered in the field and lost in the final over. Ponting said that defended Babar earlier considering his experience but he needs to get back to his best.
“It just to me looks like he's lost a bit of his power, his ball striking ability, like taking that spinner on the way he did and not being able to even go close to clearing it,” Ponting continued.
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“I defended him at the start of the tournament … a big name player in a big events … experience, you need (those players) in your side if you're going to win. Pakistan need the best version of Babar Azam if they're going to go further in this tournament.”
Ponting’s message to Pakistan team management
The legendary Australian captain also had an advise for Babar. He wants the former Pakistan skipper to bat at no.3 and use the fielding restrictions. Otherwise, he does not guarantee him a place in the playing eleven considering the firepower in the middle order.
“I would even think about batting him at No.3,” said Ponting.
“I think the earlier he goes in, if he can get some time inside the Powerplay with the field up, I think that's going to help him because if he has just lost that little bit of power, then you need everything in your favour. So having only two fielders out would help him. The guys that (are) batting after him have got plenty of power anyway. They can take advantage of those middle overs with the spinners on and the fielders out.
“They've got a big decision to make whether he stays in or whether they leave him out.”
Pakistan are scheduled to go up against USA in their next clash. It is yet to be seen whether Babar gets a promotion in the batting order or warms the bench.
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