In the World Cup, Babar Azam has not yet shown his usual form with scores of 5, 10, 50, and 18. After winning their first two matches, the Pakistan team has faced back-to-back losses in the tournament.
In a match against India in Ahmedabad last Saturday, Mohammad Siraj bowled Babar, which resulted in a collapse of Pakistan’s batting lineup. Despite the promising start provided by the openers, Babar couldn’t capitalize and lost his wicket. On the batting-friendly pitch in Bengaluru, Babar again failed to deliver. While the team had set a massive target of 368 runs given by Australia, the openers started well, but Babar’s dismissal affected their chances.
However, if Babar had taken more responsibility, it was possible to chase down the target. This is what Virat Kohli has been doing consistently in this World Cup. Kohli has been consistent with the bat, scoring centuries in two out of four innings so far. He has been anchoring the Indian innings, contributing significantly to the team’s wins.
Babar’s struggles have not gone unnoticed by cricket experts. Well-known Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta tweeted, “This was the match that Babar Azam should have won. Virat Kohli is showing how to chase down a big target over a period of more than a decade.”
Harbhajan Singh, a former member of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team, also shared Gupta’s tweet on Twitter, adding, “No doubt, Kohli is the king of the modern era. He scores and wins for India in any situation. Babar and many others should learn from Kohli. Enough said. Any doubts anyone?”
Babar Azam is considered one of the most talented batsmen in contemporary cricket. However, his performance in the World Cup has not lived up to expectations, and there is pressure on him to deliver in the upcoming matches to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive in the tournament.
