Former captain Salman Butt backs Babar, Rizwan despite recent struggles

Salman Butt backs Babar and Rizwan, urges fair criticism as Pakistan faces poor form after Champions Trophy exit.

Former Pakistan opener Salman Butt has called on fans to support Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan during a turbulent phase for Pakistan cricket, urging fair and constructive criticism instead of personal attacks.

Speaking to a digital platform, Butt highlighted the importance of maintaining a performance-based culture within the national team, but cautioned against targeting individual players unfairly.

“It’s not about Babar and Rizwan. It is about any player in the world. The national team is a performance-oriented place. Those players who perform will be appreciated, and those who don’t will face criticism,” Butt said.

He stressed that criticism should remain focused on performance and improvement rather than turning personal. “The criticism should be constructive, and it shouldn’t be that you come on someone and start picking on them,” he added.

While acknowledging the efforts of both Babar and Rizwan in recent years, Butt noted the need for all players to constantly evolve.

“Babar, Rizwan have done great service for Pakistan. It is also important to highlight where they are lacking and it is also important for them to upgrade themselves and this is for every player in the world,” he concluded.

The remarks come after a difficult period for Pakistan cricket. Under Rizwan’s leadership, the national side suffered a group-stage exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a high-profile tournament hosted in Pakistan for the first time in nearly three decades.

Pakistan’s white-ball tour to New Zealand following the tournament saw further setbacks, with the team losing the T20I series 4-1 and suffering a 3-0 ODI whitewash. Despite two fifties from Babar in the ODIs, Pakistan failed to find momentum across formats.

Both players have come under intense scrutiny from fans and former players in recent weeks. Butt’s comments seek to refocus the conversation on constructive feedback as Pakistan prepares for upcoming challenges.