Mohammad Hafeez showed sympathy for Babar Azam after his recent struggles with the bat during the ICC tournaments. He believes Azam is the only one who can address the issue. Despite previously dominating the batting charts, Babar endured another dismal performance with the bat at the latest ICC event. However, he remains the world’s top-ranked ODI batter and sits at number three in the T20I rankings.

Babar Azam’s performances in recent ICC tournaments have been a cause for concern. During the ODI World Cup 2023, he scored 320 runs in 9 matches, but his underwhelming strike rate was heavily criticized. The string of poor outings continued in 2024, as he managed just 120 runs in 4 matches, with his strike rate again hovering just above 100.

Speaking on PTV Sports, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez said Babar’s form in major ICC events is worrying and suggested the captaincy may be impacting his individual game.

“Babar Azam, a quality player, has experienced a significant decline in performance during major ICC tournaments, which is a concerning issue. The reasons behind this dip in form can only be addressed by Azam himself,” Hafeez claimed.

“While I’m sure Babar has the potential to become Pakistan’s highest run-scorer, his performance has been inconsistent. He dominates in bilateral series, but struggles in ICC tournaments. Only Babar himself can address this issue,” he continued.

Despite criticism from fans over his strike rate, Babar Azam’s measured 32 runs off 34 balls helped Pakistan secure a tense victory over Ireland in the low-scoring chase of 107 runs. Hafeez defended Babar’s approach, stating it was the need of the hour.

“The innings against Ireland was good. Since wickets were falling from the other end, it is your duty as a senior to play till the end,” he further said.

“Babar’s measured approach, avoiding big hits, was the right strategy. By sticking to the crease, he denied Ireland the psychological advantage. As a result, Babar’s composed and impactful knock played a key role in his team’s success,” he concluded.