Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has come out strongly in defense of Babar Azam, taking aim at former cricketers and cricket analysts for their continuous criticism of the star batter.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Azhar Mahmood stated that Pakistan’s only superstar batter faces constant criticism and is not given the respect he truly deserves. He revealed that Babar is inherently shy and has gone through a tough period recently.
Azhar shared that he spent nearly five months with Babar while the batter was out of the team following the last series against England. According to Azhar, Babar was deeply disheartened by the harsh attitude of former players and social media critics.
Acknowledging that Babar has areas to improve, Azhar noted that the batter has grown wiser and more mature over time. Under Babar’s leadership, Pakistan won 56.67% of its 150 matches across formats, reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals and finals, while maintaining a win rate of over 60% in ODIs.
