Babar Azam walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match against India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15, 2026. — AFP
COLOMBO: Pakistan Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has strongly criticised former captain Babar Azam following his underwhelming outing in the high-voltage clash against India during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Taking to social media platform X, Shehzad questioned whether Babar’s latest failure could prove to be a defining moment in his T20 career, hinting at mounting pressure surrounding the star batter’s performances in the shortest format.
“Babar gone once again. Maybe it was his last dance to prove his worth in this format,” Shehzad wrote.
The right-handed batter has struggled to deliver impactful performances in the ongoing tournament. He managed 15 runs against the Netherlands in Pakistan’s campaign opener and followed it up with 46 off 32 deliveries against the USA.
However, he failed to convert his start into a substantial score in the crucial encounter against India.
Against India, the 31-year-old has featured in six T20Is, scoring 110 runs at an average of 22 and a strike rate of 123.59, including one half-century.
Chasing a target of 176, Pakistan found themselves under severe pressure. At the time of filing this report, they were reeling at 73-5 in 11 overs, with Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan at the crease.
Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for a duck by Hardik Pandya, while Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha fell cheaply to Jasprit Bumrah for six and four, respectively.
Usman Khan top-scored with 44 off 34 balls, striking six fours and a six.