Asif urges Babar to avoid politics

Former Pakistan pacer suggests that the batter should not got for captaincy

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has shared his insights and concerns about the current state of Pakistan cricket, specifically highlighting the role of Babar Azam.

Asif’s remarks come at a time when Pakistan cricket is under intense scrutiny following a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign.

In a candid interview on a local YouTube podcast, the former pacer praised Babar Azam for his talent but criticized his role as the national team’s captain, noting that while he is the only truly skilled player on the team, he should avoid captaincy as it is beyond his abilities.

“To be honest, we only have Babar Azam at this point. He is above captaincy, and he shouldn’t run after it. I don’t know why he is after captaincy. Babar Azam is currently the backbone; even if he steps out of the circle, he will manage. He is the only proper player right now. I don’t know why he is being dragged into politics, or if he is getting involved in it, he shouldn’t do that. He is above the captaincy and needs to carry the young players in his circle along with him. Such politics could damage his career,” Asif said.

It is worth noting that Pakistan cricket is on the brink of a potential overhaul following a disastrous 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. The team’s early exit, marked by shocking United States and India defeats, has prompted a critical review.

At 29 years old, he is one of the most dominant leaders in T20I history, boasting 48 wins in 85 matches with a win percentage of 56.47. Despite his consistent leadership in the shorter format, Babar has struggled to lead his side to success in major competitions.

Babar retains ODI rankings

Babar Azam, Rizwan maintained their sports in the latest ICC Men’s T20I Batter Rankings despite Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup 2024.

Azam stood at fourth place followed by Rizwan on fifth place. It is recalled that Pakistan suffered early elimination from the world cup due to unimpressive performance.

On the other hand, a pair of up-and-coming stars from India were the big winners on the latest update of the ICC Men’s T20I Batter Rankings.

India registered an impressive 4-1 series triumph over Zimbabwe recently and two of their best performed players have been the eye-catching movers on the updated list for T20I batters.

Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was the big winner following his 141 runs for the series as he rises four places to sixth overall behind No.1 ranked batter Travis Head and second-placed Suryakumar Yadav.

Teammate Shubman Gill was the lading run-scorer during that Zimbabwe series and he too rises the batting charts, moving up a whopping 36 places to 37th as a result on the back of his 170 runs from five innings.

Gill is now the fourth highest player from India on the T20I rankings, with the 24-year-old moving past recently retired duo Rohit Sharma (42nd) and Virat Kohli (51st) to only trail Suryakumar (second), Jaiswal (sixth) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (eighth).

Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani gained 11 places to move to 44th overall on the list for T20I bowlers following his six wickets against India, while Washington Sundar (up 36 spots to 46th) and Mukesh Kumar (up 21 rungs to 73rd) progressed up the same group after their efforts in the same series.

England spinner Adil Rashid remains in the No.1 spot for T20I bowlers, while Sri Lanka tweaker is narrowly clear in the list for T20I all-rounders as Zimbabwe veteran Sikandar Raza gains a single place to rise to third following good efforts with bat and ball against India.