Pakistani actress Sonya Hussaiyn recently revealed that she used to admire cricketer Babar Azam but no longer considers him her favourite player.
When asked about her favourite player during a special transmission of a private TV channel for the Champions Trophy, Sonia shared, “I liked Babar Bhai (Babar Azam) a lot, but now he is not my favourite player.”
She further admitted, “I don’t know the names of my favourite players these days.”
Sonya Hussaiyn’s candid remarks have sparked discussions among fans, with many curious about the reason behind her change of preference.
The Pakistan cricket team is set to tour New Zealand for a series of five T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
According to sources, star batter Babar Azam is unlikely to be included in Pakistan’s T20 squad for the tour. However, a final decision regarding his participation in the ODI squad has yet to be made.
The selectors have reportedly decided to include young players in the T20 squad, aiming to provide them with international exposure and experience.
Meanwhile, following Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the Champions Trophy, Babar Azam was spotted playing padel tennis. Several pictures have surfaced showing him enjoying the sport alongside his brothers, fellow cricketers, and friends.
PCB likely to send Rizwan, other senior players packing
Following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy, captain Mohammad Rizwan and several senior players are set to be rested.
According to media reports, if Rizwan is rested, Shadab Khan is likely to take over as captain. The squad is also expected to see major changes, with 8 to 9 new players included.
Similarly, senior players like Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman will reportedly be dropped, while Imam-ul-Haq, Tayyab Tahir, and Kamran Ghulam are also likely to be excluded.
Meanwhile, young talents such as Mohammad Haris, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Arafat Minhas are expected to join the team. Others in contention include Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, and Jehandad Khan.
Additionally, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, and Umair Bin Yousuf may be included, while emerging talents like Hasan Nawaz, Ali Raza, and Abdul Samad are also under consideration.
Earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with selectors at the National Cricket Academy to discuss the team’s future. He instructed the selection committee to build a team with a long-term vision.
Former Pakistan Test cricketer Tauseef Ahmed has said that “enough was enough” and he now wanted to see Babar Azam score runs.
Speaking to a private media outlet, Ahmed said that it was time for Babar to step up and play an important role in the national side’s wins.
He further said that it was easier for openers to score with just two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. “Fakhar [Zaman] plays attacking cricket and if he gets out, it is bad luck.”
However, he added, what happened to Saud Shakeel was a planned wicket.
Babar’s cousin and former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, on the other hand, said that the star batsman put up an impressive display in recent matches with Pakistan outclassing South Africa in the tri-series.
He went on to talk about the recent changes to the batting order and said Babar Azam was among the best ODI batsmen out there. “He needs to play positively and focus on shot slections,” Akmal said and added that everyone wanted to see Babar scoring runs.
“It is not just about Babar’s performance but every player needs to take responsibility. If we improve our bowling, we can play brilliant cricket like New Zealand,” he concluded.
It merits a mention that the statements come after New Zealand crushed Pakistan owing to the national side’s lackluster performance in the tri-nation series ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan managed to win only against South Africa but lost both the opener and final of the series against New Zealand.
On Friday, New Zealand won the tri-series final by chasing down Pakistan’s unimpressive target of 242 for a loss of only five wickets and with 28 balls to spare.
The first powerplay was a portent for Pakistan’s go-slow. The hosts played out 48 dots in the powerplay, in which they managed 48 for 2, and failed to hit a high tempo through the innings.
Babar Azam brought the Karachi crowd alive when he laced Jacob Duffy through the covers for four, and became the joint fastest to 6,000 ODI runs in his 123rd innings, alongside Hashim Amla.
He, however, returned to the pavilion after scoring just 29 off 34 balls.
Rising actor-model Dua Zahra has admitted to having a huge crush on cricketer Babar Azam in a lighthearted, candid discussion on ARY Zindagi’s show The Night Show with Ayaz Samoo.
“The one and only Babar Azam. I have a huge crush on him, and I don’t like when people troll him,” she said, asking critics not to troll the former captain. “I don’t like any other cricketer.”
Talking about her personal life and wedding plans, Zahra added, “I’m happily single and have never been happily committed. I don’t believe in relationships but in marriage.”
When asked about her idea of an ideal husband, she shared, “I want someone who is supportive and very honest and genuine with me; that is my only strict requirement. I can’t share my guy, so he must not lie or hide things from me. I don’t have any demands for my husband to be too good-looking or anything. Yes, he should be good enough to look compatible next to me. Finances are not an issue; I can earn and manage myself.”
Batting maestro Babar Azam has donated a Test jersey to Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja for his foundation in Brisbane.
Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja said, “I am collecting donations for the foundation; Babar Azam gave me his Test jersey; I am grateful to him. Babar is a great cricketer of Pakistan.”
Babar said, “I am in touch with Usman Bhai; we keep talking during matches. I promised him that if I could support him in any way, I would definitely do it. It is an honour for me to have done something for his foundation.”
A three-match T20 series between Pakistan and Australia is starting tomorrow.
Pakistan has already defeated Australia in the three-match ODI series by 2-1, a rare feat achieved after 22 years on their home ground.
Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam’s bat will be put up for display at the Long Room of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
According to reports, MCG officials have asked Babar Azam to donate a bat of his for the Long Room, after which Babar donated the bat he used in the 2022 T20 World Cup final.
The bats of cricketing legends Don Bradman, David Bone, Jack Hobbs and Brian Lara are also on display in the MCG Long Room.
“It is an honor for my bat to be showcased in the Long Room. I have a lot of memories associated with the MCG. It is one of the best grounds with the bats of the greatest batsmen of the world. It is an honor to have my bat put up for display [here],” Babar said.
Steeped in history and tradition, the Long Room is iconic in every sense. The famous leather couches offer premium views of the hallowed turf and are complimented by a fine selection of sporting memorabilia on display.
The Long Room was earlier known as the “Members’ Lounge” with the back section of the room known as the “Members’ Dining Room”. The area was renamed the “Long Room” in 1958.
The foundation stone from the second pavilion is located in the centre of the Long Room. It also houses portraits of a number of past presidents, a vice-president and secretaries of the club.
Veteran sports journalist Faizan Lakhani trolled Shoaib Jatt for criticising Babar Azam after Pakistan won against England in the Second Test in Multan.
The national selection committee dropped Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Nasem Shah from the second and third Tests against England on Sunday, October 13. The committee added right-handed batter Kamran Ghulam, spinner Sajid Khan, and Noman Ali on the team, and luckily, they performed well in the match.
Kamran Ghulam scored 100 in his debut match, while Sajid and Noman took all 20 English wickets to secure the win for Pakistan.
After their best performance, Shoaib Jatt shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Do you know? These three were not included in the team because the (Babar Azam) did not want them in the team; Babar did all this to ensure that his friends’ group always remained safe, no matter how much loss it caused.”
Faizan Lakhani replied woth an old video of Shaoib in which he criticised Noman Ali for not taking wickets. Faizan wrote, “You, too, were not happy with Nomi, nai?”
This was the first Test win for Pakistan in the last 44 months on a home ground, and also the first time in 52 years that spinners took all of 20 wickets in a Test match.
Pakistan won this match, defeating England by 152 runs.
Babar Azam is a famous cricketer in the Pakistani cricket team. His move from an average child in Pakistan to becoming a cricket superstar is worth mentioning. Here, we want to discuss his life, accomplishments, and how he has shaped the game. Read this article to know everything about the shining star of the Pakistan cricket team, Babar Azam.
Babr Azam grew up in Lahore. He belonged to a cricketing family and had been interested in learning the game since childhood. Babar began especially addressing cricket at the neighborhood level. He was remarkably talented from a tender age.
He sensed affection for sports and joined Wai Cricket Academy. There, he complimented what he had acquired at home with the fundamentals of the game. Babar put in the effort and almost immediately began to attract the selectors. His efforts paid off as he played his first game for the Under-19 side.
Babar Azam’s Rise to Fame
He played his first international match in the one-day format against Bangladesh. It was an impressive performance. He scored 50 runs, which later proved to be a real fortune for him. Therefore, Babar gained a central role in the Pakistani national team. His finesse and devotion made him a roaring success. He made a name for himself and had the ability to score runs when things got tough.
The Pakistan Cricket Board recently announced that Babar Azam was excluded from the test series. The PCB spokesperson stated that Babar Azam is regarded as a world-class player. Therefore, he will be given rest. He and Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shaheen Afridi will miss the following two tests against England. The board intends to implement a strategy to allow the young players to shine in the series.
Babar Azam Centuries
Babar Azam centuries are the highlights of his career. He has hit several centuries in one-day internationals and T20 formats. Babar is good at constructing innings. His first century in one-day internationals came against the West Indies in 2017. He made 117 runs. That innings marked the advent of many more to come. Since then, Babar Azam centuries count has increased in limited-over matches.
Babar Azam has stayed caught up in T20 cricket, either. He hit his first T20 hundred against Bangladesh in 2019, which is very useful for the side in T20 cricket. Babar Azam’s century count is 15 for the one-day international format and many for the T20. Every hundred tells a story of labor and determination. Often, it is Babar’s centuries that help Pakistan emerge victorious.
Babar Azam’s Records
Babar Azam is a current player with several records in international cricket. His very high batting average places him among the best players in the world. Babar’s consistency has earned him the top-most rankings in Batsman.
Babar has also become the quickest cricketer to complete 1000 runs in T20 internationals. This proves his ability to use the shortest format of the game. Even his supporters and experts recognize that he is in charge of changing the course of history.
Babar Azam Net Worth
Babar Azam has made it big in Kuwat’s arena and on any game field. He has also gone off the field into the Zillionaire’s club. Babar Azam net worth is $4 million. His earnings come from cricket contracts, content contributors’ endowments, and sponsors.
Babar, the Pakistani cricket team captain, receives quite a high salary. He is also a brand ambassador for several companies. So great is his popularity that he has become the hottest cake in the advertising industry.
For his fans, searching for “Babar Azam pic” to view a photograph of their favorite sportsperson is common. Fans are attracted not only to his performance but also to his down-to-earth demeanor. You can find beautiful Babar Azam pic on social media platforms.
Leadership Role
The Pakistani team elected Babar Azam as captain in 2019. This was a challenging yet equally rewarding role. Under his guidance, the team performed well. Babar’s style of leadership is all about composure. He does not want people behind him; instead, he leads from the front and evolves their ideals into hard work.
Impact on Young Players
Many young cricket players in Pakistan and worldwide look up to Babar Azam. He has clarified that any dream can be realized with perseverance and hard work. Thus, he has many young supporters striving to walk in his path.
Babar frequently shares suggestive ways to excel and grow networks with upcoming aspirant cricketers. He is not distant and offers wisdom whenever he gets a chance. The narrative inspires numerous people to take cricket more seriously.
Pakistan cricket team’s white ball captain, Babar Azam, has stepped down from the captaincy.
He announced this on his Instagram account, stating, ” Dear Fans, I’m sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month. It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role.”
“Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it’s added a significant workload. I want to prioritize my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy.”
“By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I’m grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support.”
Babar has resigned after consulting his family and close friends; he had been consulting his close friends regarding the captaincy for many days.
Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy of all three formats in November after the defeat in the World Cup last year. After that, PCB appointed Shaheen Afridi as T20 and Shan Masood as Test captain. No decision was made regarding Day’s captain.
But then, in March this year, Babar Azam was once again made the captain of Pakistan’s white ball cricket.
Under the leadership of Babar Azam, Pakistan played 43 ODIs, winning 26 and losing 15. Apart from this, under the leadership of Babar, Pakistan won 48 and lost 29 in 85 T20 International matches.
The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) connection camp, held in Lahore, has come to an end. It included sessions discussing the future of cricket captains.
According to Geo News, PCB messed up players to support their captains and play unitedly, and it was said that whoever the captain is, whatever the format, all the players should help. Success will be possible only if all the players play as a team.
The players were told that all players could play all three formats long and had to build unity.
There was also an indication that the captains in the connection camp had not been changed. PCB sent a message to the players that no player should be afraid of being dropped and removed from the captaincy. Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi also emphasized ensuring unity.
PCB will form a two-member committee, which will not be related to the management; the players will tell the committee about their problems.
The players in the camp expressed concerns about the international and domestic cricket departments.
The players also had a separate meeting with the coaches in the camp and discussed with the coaches the clear policy of workload management and selection.
