Former Pakistan skipper Salim Malik has raised questions over Babar Azam's captaincy after the team suffered a narrow defeat against India in the ongoing T20 World Cup. After setting a target of 160, Pakistan were in control of the proceedings for the majority of the game. However, Virat Kohli's unbeaten knock of 82, as well as some close calls, swung the game away in India's favour. Malik feels that Babar is making the same mistakes again and again, adding that the star batter should quit captaincy.
"Yeh pressure wala situation and aise time main senior player ka bohot bara role hota hai. Agar captain to nehi samjh aa raha uss waqt ya lag raha he ki galat decision le raha hain then aap jaake bata sakte hain ki woh galat jaa rahein hai. Iisiliye main humesha kehta hu ki fast bowler ke sath ke senior banda khara hona chaiye jo usko bataye. Itne saalo ke baad bhi agar aapko captaincy nahi aati to aapko chor deni chaiye. Agar same mistakes baar baar kar rahein hai toh best hai ki captaincy nehi karni chaiye. Bohot saare logon ne captaincy chori hai. (Senior players play a big role in pressure situations like these. If the captain is getting confused, or taking the wrong decision at that time, the senior player can guide. That's why I always say that a senior player should always guide a fast bowler (especially in situations like these). If you are still not able to lead the team after so many years of cricket, you should leave the captaincy. If you making the same mistakes again and again, you should leave the captaincy. Lot of players have left captaincy)," Malik said on 24 News.
For the record, Pakistan and India had also squared off during last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE.
And under Babar's leadership, Pakistan registered a 10-wicket victory, which was their first over India at World Cups.