Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam continues to court criticism from former players. Citing the example of the Indian team and their skipper Rohit Sharma, former Pakistan star Shoaib Malik suggested that Babar wouldn't get picked in the playing XIs of any of the top teams in the world, be it India, England, Australia, or others. Babar's team produced a horror show in the recently concluded T20 World Cup and were eliminated in the group stage itself. Defeats against India and Afghanistan resulted in Pakistan's elimination, and Malik wants Babar to change the way he plays the game completely.
In a chat on Ten Sports, Shoaib Malik asked if Pakistan's 'best player' Babar would even get into the playing XI of the top sides in the team.
"Who is our best layer? Our best player is Babar Azam. I am just talking about the top 4-5 teams. Can Babar fit in the playing XI of those teams? Of Australia, of India or of England in just this particular format? The answer is NO!"
Malik even slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board and the selection committee, saying they don't even have the vision to take the team forward.
"They have to take this initiative. The selection committee or the chairman or whoever comes, they do not have a vision. They do not understand that when you are playing, it is your responsibility that you should look into that, isn't it?", he said.
Citing the example of Rohit Sharma, Malik said that it's not the BCCI selection committee that asked him the India captain to play a certain way, he himself decided to take the attacking approach.
"The selection committee has told Rohit Sharma that we do not have to play like this, he himself has to take the initiative. You will have to start from here because things under you are not good. Work is being done there, I have heard that it is happening and God willing it happens and becomes better," he asserted.