Basit Ali Criticises Babar Azam After Pakistan's Lord's Defeat
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has come under sharp criticism from former cricketer Basit Ali following another disappointing outing in the ongoing Test series against England. Azam, who returned to the side for the second Test at Lord's after recovering from a finger injury, managed just 8 and 6 as Pakistan slumped to a 194-run defeat, conceding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The poor returns have once again put the spotlight on Azam's prolonged Test-century drought. His last hundred came against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022, and the Pakistan skipper has now gone around four years without reaching three figures in the format, despite remaining one of the country's most high-profile batters.
Basit, known for his forthright opinions, did not hold back while questioning whether Azam had delivered enough when Pakistan needed him most.
"They didn't become great players just like that. I'm not even talking about Sachin Tendulkar. I'm talking about my own countrymen. When you don't do anything in difficult times, what's the point? You're a great player in your fan following. You're a great player in front of social media," Basit said on YouTube show The Game Plan.
"When will you do it? I'm talking about Babar [Azam]. I'll take his name. He hasn't scored a (Test) hundred in four years. When will you do it? It's a matter of pain. When the entire country's batting depends on you. At least don't get out by hitting such a shot," he added.
Pakistan's Batting Woes Continue
Pakistan's batting has been the biggest concern of the series, with the team failing to cross 200 in any of their innings so far. At Lord's, they were bowled out for 110 in the first innings before managing 194 while chasing a daunting target of 389. Saud Shakeel's 97 was the lone major act of resistance in the second innings.
For Azam, the Lord's Test was particularly frustrating. His aggregate of 14 runs from two innings marked his lowest match aggregate when batting twice since January 2025.
Squad Overhaul Ahead of Third Test
In an unprecedented move, Pakistan have rejigged their squad ahead of the third game and sent back seven players to the country. The list includes Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. Agha captained the team in the series opener.
Azam was reappointed Pakistan's Test captain before the England series. He missed the first Test due to an injury and led the team in the second game.
The final Test begins in Birmingham on September 9.