Current Final

Tag: Babar Azam

  • ‘TV pe baith kar baatein karna asaan, jis ne mashwara dena ha mera number sub ke pass hai’: Babar Azam

    ‘TV pe baith kar baatein karna asaan, jis ne mashwara dena ha mera number sub ke pass hai’: Babar Azam

    Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam has a defiant reply for all his critics.

    “For the last 3 years I was performing, I was also captaining, I don’t think there is any pressure on me. Team decisions are taken by the coaches and the captain, but if anyone wants to give advice, everyone has my number. It’s easy to sit on TV and talk,” Babar Azam said in a press conference.

    Azam has been criticised heavily by fans, analysts and former cricketers after Pakistan’s poor performance at the World Cup.

    “We have a net run rate plan in our mind, we will pursue it and how we 10 overs and what to play later is completely planned. If Fakhar Zaman plays 20 or 30 overs, we can get the required net run rate,” he said as Pakistan stares down at nearly impossible odds to make it to the semi-finals.

    The captain of the national team said, “My performance was not such that people say that there was pressure on me, my goal was to finish well as a batsman. I wanted to try to win, and I bat according to the situation. We plan carefully, but sometimes the conditions don’t favor us to play freely. There are different conditions at each venue. We came to India for the first time, we didn’t know the conditions, and I believe we couldn’t perform as per expectations.”

    Talking about the difficulty in reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup, Babar Azam said, “The match against Afghanistan and South Africa should have been won. We will learn from mistakes, the margin for error is very low at this level.”

    On the question of the future of his captaincy, Babar said that right now the focus is on the next match.

  • ‘Zaka Ashraf Sahab Apnay Kaam Say Kaam Rakhein’; Twitter loves Shahid Afridi’s statement

    ‘Zaka Ashraf Sahab Apnay Kaam Say Kaam Rakhein’; Twitter loves Shahid Afridi’s statement

    Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lashed out at the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf, while talking in program Zor Ka Jor on Samaa TV.

    Shahid Afridi criticized PCB management committee for mishandling cricket affairs amid the Men in Green’s below-par performance in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.

    Afridi believes that Ashraf should focus on his job rather than giving pointless statements.

    “Zaka Ashraf is the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, not of a club. I’m surprised why is he calling owners of media houses about people who are talking against him,” Afridi said.

    “For God’s sake, you are the chairman, just deliver results and do your job. People are only talking about you because you are giving them this opportunity. Zaka Ashraf Sahab, stick to what you are supposed to do. The team is playing a World Cup and you are giving one statement after the other. Sometimes it is about Babar and sometimes it is about someone else,” he added.

    Social Media users took to X (formerly Twitter) and supported Shahid Afridi’s statement.

    Senior Editor, ESPNCricinfo, Osman Samiuddin tweeted, “Don’t hold board elex, throw own team under bus, leak whatsapp messages from captain, live for junkets & photo ops, be in charge of absolute clown admin, get away with all of it.”

    Aspiring Cricket analyst Syed Ali Imran tweeted, “Media houses kay owners ko phone? Shahid Afridi hits back at Zaka Ashraf who most probably exerted pressure on him via Aleem Khan owner of SAMAA TV.”

    Farid Khan, COO CricketRPlus tweeted, “Shahid Afridi grills PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf once again! What a statement by Lala “

    X user Maham Gillani tweeted, “A very clear message from Shahid Afridi to Zaka Ashraf. Lala is always behind Babar Azam. Off the field sixer from Boom Boom Afridi.”

  • #ShameOnYouZaka trends as Pakistan has three more matches left in World Cup

    #ShameOnYouZaka trends as Pakistan has three more matches left in World Cup

    #ShameOnYouZaka trends as Pakistan has three more matches left in World Cup.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials leaked Babar Azam’s private whatsapp chat on a live show on ARY NEWS hosted by Waseem Badami, leading to a storm of condemnation.

    Former wicket-keeper Rashid Latif claimed on Saturday that Babar Azam is calling PCB’s senior officials but they are ignoring his messages. However PCB’s Chairman Zaka Ashraf denied these allegations and said, “Rashid Latif’s statement was wrong, which is regrettable, I think it is also part of an agenda”.

    During the show on ARY NEWS, Shoaib Jutt showed a screenshot of Babar and PCB official Salman Naseer’s chat on live show.

    In the chat, Salman Naseer asks Babar on Whatsapp chat, “Babar there is also been this news circulating on TV and social media that you have been calling chairman and he isn’t answering, did you called him recently?”

    The screenshot showed that Babar Azam replied, “Salam Salman sir. Mene to sir ko koi call nai ki.”

    Azhar Ali then remarked, “Has he (Salman Naseer) gotten permission from Babar Azam before forwarding to this chat to him (Shoaib Jutt), and to show this chat on live show, I think you have to get permission from Babar before showing this on live show”.

    To this Shoaib Jutt replied, “I don’t think we need to ask Babar Azam. We are journalists, it is our job to show whatever we have. [Mujhay nahin lagta ke mujhay Babar Azam se pochna chaiay tha. Hum journalist hein, hamara to kaam hee yehi hai, jo mile us ko dikha dein]”

    Social media in Pakistan and India reacted uproariously, with many senior journalists too slamming the incident. PCB is being slammed for leaking a private chat.

    Later on in the night, Badami released a video message in which he apologized, saying the decision was “not an ideal one”.

    National former cricketer Waqar Younis slammed this act.

    Here are some reactions on social media:

  • Did Zaka Ashraf ignore Babar Azam’s phone calls? Ashraf reveals all

    Did Zaka Ashraf ignore Babar Azam’s phone calls? Ashraf reveals all

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that former cricketer Rashid Latif’s statement was “wrong, regrettable” and “part of an agenda.”

    Speaking on a TV show, former wicketkeeper Rashid Latif claimed that Babar Azam has been sending messages to the Chairman PCB Management Committee, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Director of International Cricket for two consecutive days, but all three of them are avoiding him.

    However, now in an interview on a private channel, PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf rejected Rashid Latif’s claims , stating, “The statement was wrong, which is regrettable, I think it is also part of an agenda.”

    Zaka Ashraf said that the chairman of the previous board had given NOC to the players to play leagues, and when the time came for the World Cup, the fitness problems of the players came to the fore.

    Talking about the payment of players’ salaries, he said that if the players sign on, the money will reach their account. “Neither the players are going anywhere, nor the board is going anywhere.”

    Zaka Ashraf said that players are being paid huge salaries all over the world. “I thought that they should give more money to the players to play in the national team.”

    Stating that Najam Sethi had filed a case against him in the previous period, Ashraf pointed out that, “Even then, no irregularity of even one rupee was proved against me.”

    “Our cricket is not modern-day cricket. Apart from that, I cannot say anything about friendship in the team, but the fitness and performance of many players are in front of you.”

  • PCB throws Babar under the bus, urges support for team

    PCB throws Babar under the bus, urges support for team

    After the Pakistan cricket team lost three World Cup matches in a row, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to publicly support the team. However, in a surprise move, they threw captain Babar Azam under the proverbial bus.

    PCB released a press release on social media, urging fans to support the national team.

    In the press release issued by the PCB, it was stated, “The board understands the sentiments and feelings of the cricket fans on the three consecutive failures of the national team in the ICC World Cup 2023, however, on this occasion, the board administration hopes from the public and former cricketers that captain Babar Azam and the players should be encouraged in this hour of difficulty”.

    The PCB message said that the national team still has four matches to play in the World Cup, hopefully, the national team will forget the defeat and show a positive and good game in the upcoming matches.

    PCB said, “On the criticism of former cricketers and the media on the captain Babar Azam and the team management and changing them, the cricket board is of the opinion that winning and losing is part of the game.

    “Chairman PCB Management Committee Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf gave a complete free hand to Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq and Captain Babar Azam in the World Cup squad and did not hinder them in making the team as per their wish. In the future, the board will make decisions in light of the performance of the World Cup 2023 in due course. Currently, the board is fully hopeful of the team’s good performance to hoist the green flag on the field in the ICC World Cup 2023.”

    Pakistan Cricket Board is facing huge criticism on social media, here are some reactions;

  • ‘When we rise, we go straight to the top’; Babar Azam still has hope

    ‘When we rise, we go straight to the top’; Babar Azam still has hope

    A video of a Pakistan team practice session has been widely shared on the X account of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). In the video, players were seen practicing in the net while Babar Azam gives them a pep talk.

    Despite three consecutive defeats in the ICC World Cup, the captain of the national team, Babar Azam, did not lose heart and encouraged the players.

    ‘We have done this many times, we have risen from the bottom but when we rise from the bottom we go straight to the top, all the players remember that time.”

    He said, “It would be easy if we stick by each other. We have to walk shoulder to shoulder with each other, we have done it before, we have come back and we can still do it. Don’t give up”.

  • Why did Afghan cricketer Gurbaz thank Babar Azam on social media?

    Why did Afghan cricketer Gurbaz thank Babar Azam on social media?

    Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rehmanullah Garbaz thanked Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam on social media for a special gift.

    In his message on social media, Rahmanullah Garbaz thanked Azam for the bat the Pakistan captain had gifted him, writing, “You stay strong and shine.” He also wrote that the greatest gift from a great player, calling Babar Azam a humble personality.

    Two days ago, Babar Azam gifted his bat to Rahmanullah Garbaz after the match between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

  • Pakistan’s World Cup woe — what’s gone wrong?

    Pakistan’s World Cup woe — what’s gone wrong?

    Pakistan’s chances of making the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup are on a knife-edge after their eight-wicket defeat to Afghanistan.

    AFP Sport looks at three problem areas for Babar Azam’s falterinordinary

    World class bowling looks ordinary

    Pakistan’s bowling was touted as world class before the Asia Cup and when they restricted a strong India side to 266 all out in a washed out game at Pallekele, commentators saw it as a major warning to World Cup rivals.

    But two weeks before the showpiece event, key fast bowler Naseem Shah was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

    Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi has 10 wickets in five games in India but has failed to make an early impact — his 2-36 against India and 5-54 facing Australia came in losing causes. In the opening wins over Netherlands and Sri Lanka, he managed two wickets at a combined cost of 103 runs.

    Haris Rauf has leaked runs, conceding 286 in five games for eight wickets while the spinners have lacked bite on the slow and turning pitches of India. Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed have just six wickets in five matches between them, conceding 502 runs.

    Captaincy in question

    Babar Azam is one of the top batsmen in white ball cricket — he has two fifties at the World Cup — but his captaincy has been questioned and he has faced accusations of lacking aggression in field settings.

    Pakistan media have consistently accused him of favouring his friends in selection.

    “As far as captaincy is concerned, I don’t have much pressure on me or on my batting. I try to give my best in batting,” Babar said after Monday’s loss to Afghanistan.

    “During fielding, I think about captaincy and during batting I just think about the batting.”

    Babar has won some sympathy in India for his team having to play in front of crowds where Pakistan fans have been effectively banned.

    Tight security has also meant that the squad is virtually confined to their hotels once their playing and training commitments are completed.

    Lack of planning

    There have been frequent, unsettling changes in the the Pakistan Cricket Board set-up — three chairmen in the past year — which hurt planning for the World Cup.

    Former chairman Najam Sethi brought in Mickey Arthur as team director but he also kept his Derbyshire county job in England.

    Directing the team from the UK, he was criticised in some media as a “Zoom coach.”

    Pakistan officials have also been accused of failing to manage the workload of their fast bowlers with Naseem and Shaheen playing all three formats.

    Naseem’s most obvious replacements, Ihsanullah and Mohammad Hasnain were also unfit, forcing Pakistan to recall Hasan Ali.

    “You were not able to find a coach and since you liked foreign ones you hired an online coach. We change our system frequently and that is showing in our performance in the World Cup,” said former Pakistan great Wasim Akram.

  • Babar Azam lambasts fielding after Afghanistan loss

    Babar Azam lambasts fielding after Afghanistan loss

    After the stunning defeat by Afghanistan in the ICC World Cup, Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam said that the defeat has hurt the team, pointing out that bowling and fielding were not up to par.

    While addressing a press conference after the match, Azam said, “I congratulate Afghanistan, anything can happen in cricket, this defeat has hurt the team. The bowling, and fielding were not good while the spinners did not bowl well in the middle overs.”

    Addressing criticism of his own performance, Azam said that he does not have the burden of captaincy. “When I bat, I only do my batting, when it is my turn to captain, I do full captaincy.”

    He said, “The Pakistan team is not able to click, the focus on fielding is not being fulfilled. After the defeat against India, our plans are not succeeding.”

    He again talked about his own performance, stating, “I do not know what campaign is going on against me on social media.”

  • Inappropriate behavior with Babar Azam and team; Gautam Gambhir angry at Indian spectators

    Inappropriate behavior with Babar Azam and team; Gautam Gambhir angry at Indian spectators

    Former India opener and current World Cup commentary panel member Gautam Gambhir expressed anger at Indian spectators for their inappropriate behavior towards the Pakistan team in Ahmedabad during the Pak-India match on October 14.

    In a column published in Khaleej Times, Gautam Gambhir wrote, “Though our team India has won three out of three matches, I don’t think we have won the hearts of Indian cricket team supporters.”

    “Our turnout at the ground during matches other than the Indian team has been extremely low which makes me wonder if we really love the game or are just obsessed with Indian superstars,” he wrote.

    Gambhir also criticized the behavior of Indian fans towards opposing teams and wrote, “During the first match between Afghanistan and India in Delhi, the spectators abused Naveen-ul-Haq and continuously chanted Kohli-Kohli in front of him because in IPL there was an argument between the two, then later, we abused Babar Azam at the toss in Ahmedabad while shouting unnecessary slogans at the Pakistani batsmen while returning to the pavilion.”

    Read More: Pakistani cricketers show solidarity with Palestine

    Gambhir further wrote that it is unimaginable that a society which gave the world the “concept of ‘the whole world is one family’ could be so contradictory”.

    Addressing his nation, the former cricketer wrote, “If we want to win the bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, we have to adopt a more neutral attitude.”

    He mentioned that Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur also criticized the atmosphere and said that it does not seem like an ICC event.

    “Also when I was commentating there in Ahmedabad, I was not at all proud to see such bigoted behavior,” Gambhir wrote.

    The former cricketer wrote that he is in favor of competition in sports and supporting any team but, added, “That does not give us the license to abuse and humiliate the opposing team.”