Babar Azam lost his cool and showed uncharacteristic aggression while confronted a spectator during the Peshawar Zalmi versus Multan Sultans match in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 season.
Babar Azam's angry reaction was triggered by verbal abuse by a fan
The episode unfolded while Babar Azam, the captain of Peshawar Zalmi, was in the dugout during the game's initial stages. Having won the toss, Azam chose to bat, leading his team to a solid score of 179/8 in their 20 overs. Haseebullah Khan was the top scorer for Zalmi with 37 runs, while Babar Azam contributed 31 runs, both being the only players from their team to surpass the 30-run threshold. From the Multan Sultans' side, David Willey, Mohammad Ali, and Usama Mir each took two wickets. The contentious moment occurred when Babar Azam was near the stands, and a video taken by an onlooker shows him visibly upset and making emphatic gestures towards a fan.
Babar Azam appeared to be upset over an issue and was observed gesturing to the fans to come closer with a hand signal. Subsequently, he grabbed a water bottle and appeared to threaten to throw it at the fans. Thankfully, the situation did not worsen from there.
The cause of the altercation remains unclear, but a user on X (previously known as Twitter) mentioned being close to the cricketer when the event occurred. According to this user, Babar Azam's angry reaction was triggered by verbal abuse from one of the spectators
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE…
Babar Azam thrilled with Peshawar Zalmi's victory
In an exciting match, Peshawar Zalmi narrowly defeated Multan Sultans by five runs, marking their first win in PSL 2024. Following an initial setback with two defeats, the victory over the Sultans was a significant turnaround. Babar Azam, speaking post-match, praised the win as exceptional and emphasized its importance for his team, stating they 'truly needed' this triumph.
“Outstanding win tonight. A win like this is really needed. We wanted to score 170-180 and the batters did well to get there. Hasebullah started well and his partnership was crucial in the middle. Our bowlers put in their best efforts and executed well. Had we held onto our catches, it would have been a completely different ball game. We made changes to try a different combination and according to the surface,” Babar said.
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