Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has criticized veteran T20I batsman Babar Azam for his lack of intention to make a comeback in the shortest format of the game after a disappointing performance against arch-rivals India in the ICC T20 World Cup group stage.
Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat after agreeing to play against India in an ICC T20 World Cup group-stage game. The Pakistani team’s records were not going in their favor and the Men in Blue had a 7-1 advantage, and now their prestige has been further hampered as the odds have increased to 8-1 in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan’s only T20 World Cup win against India came in 2021 and since then, they have been looking for their next win. Pakistan team lost three consecutive matches against the Indian team in the Asia Cup.
Big upset for Babar Azam in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
As Pakistan made subtle changes to their team and welcomed a raft of spinners ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, they were expected to put up a tough challenge against the Indians in their match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Despite tough bowling, India managed to score 175 runs in their 20 overs. After this, Pakistan’s batting line-up consisting of Babar Azam flopped and they lost the game by a huge margin.
Babar Azam failed to contribute to his innings as Axar Patel bowled around the off stump and the veteran missed a sweep on length. His stumps were uprooted and the veteran was once again out without making any promising impact on the game.
“You can’t run a team by becoming Maula Jatt,” Shoaib Akhtar along with Indians attacked Babar Azam
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes that the form of Pakistan’s experienced Babar Azam is over. He has given up hope from the cricketer and hence he has ended his debate.
“The product he wanted to make has become Babar, ok, it is visible, now what should I debate on it? Now you have no intention of being ok; you cannot run a team by being Maula Jatt, na. Bring this, bring that, do this, do that, T20 toh nahi hoga na. (The product he wanted to be, he has made it, Babar. Ok, this is visible, so why should I debate on it now) Now, if you don’t even have the intention to get it right, you can’t just be ‘Maula Jatt’ and run the team, get this, do that, T20 can’t be played like this,” Shoaib Akhtar said.
Akhtar humiliated Babar and called him worse than tailenders.
The former fast bowler further suggested that Babar Azam is no longer fit for the longer formats, and Pakistan needs players who have both the skills as well as the awareness and intelligence to play such formats.
Akhtar questions, “With some skill and some fitness, you can play the T20 format, but the longer format also requires awareness and intelligence. Being an aware cricketer as well as having a method is important for the longer formats; where will Pakistan get it from?”
He then once again criticized Babar along with other Pakistan batsmen as he said that even during his time, players including tailenders were taught to play on the basis of run-a-ball.
“During the 1980s and 90s, when club cricket was played, they used to teach playing on the basis of run-a-ball. Even our tailenders know about it,” was Akhtar’s sharp attack on the veteran Pakistani batsman.
“What should I argue about Babar?”
~Shoaib Akhtar pic.twitter.com/eBiVReXq4i
– Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) 15 February 2026
Also read: Mohsin Naqvi boycotts India vs Pakistan match, leaves players to rot in T20 World Cup