Last Updated:
Wasim Akram advises Babar Azam to stay calm and trust his class amidst criticism and T20I exclusion, requesting him to ignore press conferences.
Babar Azam last played a T20I for Pakistan in December 2024 (PTI/AP)
Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram has said that he would like to advise Babar Azam to stay calm and ignore unnecessary press conferences where his name is discussed and believe in his class. The latter is undergoing a lengthy slump, which has seen him being dropped from the Pakistan T20I team.
Speaking on a private television program, Akram commented on Babar’s recent performances, requesting him to remain confident in his abilities and not let outside criticism affect him.
Babar’s fall from grace has been embarrassing and that has reflected in Pakistan’s performance across formats.
“Babar Azam is one of our superstars and among the best players in the world. My advice to him is simple: stay calm, ignore unnecessary press conferences, don’t let criticism affect you and believe in your class,” Akram said.
“Form is temporary, but class is permanent. Keep working hard, you will once again be counted among the world’s top batters. He has all the qualities of a match-winner, the talent, the temperament and the consistency,” Akram added.
Babar’s last international hundred came against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup and he has since not been able to reach triple figures in any format.
Because of his declining strike rate, Babar was dropped from Pakistan’s T20 team earlier this year as well, a step that sparked debate among the fans and cricket experts alike.
Babar had an unremarkable season over the past year, as did the Pakistan team across formats.
Babar last played a T20I in December. In the Pakistan Super League 2025, he scored 288 runs in ten innings for the Peshawar Zalmi. It included innings of 56*, 53* and 94, but his overall strike rate was 128.57, not great enough for a T20I player. He was part of the recent ODI series against the Windies, where he had scores of 47, 0 and 9, disappointing selectors even more.
Read More
