Misbahul Haq lashes out at Babar Azam for underperforming in ICC tournaments

Former captain says personal achievements without handling pressure situations hold little value

Former cricketer Misbahul Haq has criticised Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam for failing to perform under pressure during ICC tournaments.

Pakistan, having already lost two games in the ongoing T20 World Cup, now faces a crucial juncture. The team must win their remaining matches to secure a place in the Super 8.

Speaking on a local sports channel, Misbah highlighted Babar’s inability to deliver in critical moments. "Babar Azam is playing his fourth World Cup as captain. When the pressure situation comes, he needs to prove himself,” he added.

The former captain said that Babar should lifted his game but now the team is almost out of the T20 World Cup.

Misbah stressed that personal achievements without handling pressure situations hold little value and that Babar has consistently failed to lead the team effectively in four World Cups since 2019.

"No one counts your performances without pressure. He is such a big player with lots of performances, so this is the stage to take your team forward and inspire them, but he is unable to do that," he said.

Since 2019, Pakistan has participated in three T20 World Cups and one Cricket World Cup, but Babar’s performance has fallen short of expectations, according to Misbah. "This is one of the reasons behind Pakistan’s struggles," he added.

Pakistan is set to face Canada today and Ireland on June 16 in their final T20 World Cup matches, games that will be crucial for their hopes of progressing in the tournament.