Re-instated Pakistan T20I Babar Azam is currently preparing for the side's tours in Ireland and England, before they depart for the 2024 T20 World Cup. In the marquee event, Babar Azam-led Pakistan has been placed in a group which India and three cricket minnows - USA, Ireland, Canada. Babar Azam was removed fromk captaincy after Pakistan's poor show at the ODI World Cup 2023.
This time, the PCB have shown faith on Babar Azam to lead the side to glory at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, Ahead of the event, former Pakistan cricket team star Basit Ali had a strange challenge for Babar Azam. He was probably referring to Babar's low strike-rate. In T20Is his strike-rate is 129.41.
"If against top teams, not sides like USA and Thailand, Babar Azam hit three straight sixes, I will shut down YouTube channel. If he takes takes this challenge, he should accept it. If he can't open the innings, he should not open at the T20 World Cup," Basit Ali said in a video
Pakistan captain Babar Azam recently said the team will be planning their tactics against star India batter Virat Kohli for the high-octane clash with Men in Blue in the ICC T20 World Cup at West Indies/USA this year.
During the last T20 Cup clash between these two sides back in 2022, Virat played one of the most iconic knocks in the format, scoring 82* in just 53 balls, with six fours and four sixes during a tense run-chase of 160 runs when India was 31/4 at one point.
Speaking at the media conference on Monday, Babar said that though the team does not plan against one particular player, but they will be planning against Virat, who he called as "one of the best players."
"As a team, you always plan against different teams and according to their strengths. We do not plan anything against one player. We plan for all 11 players. We do not know much about the conditions in New York and we will plan accordingly. He [Virat Kohli] is one of the best players and we will plan against him as well," he said.