Imam-ul-Haq Defends Babar Azam Amid Pakistan's T20 World Cup Struggles

Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign has been thrown into disarray following consecutive defeats against USA and India. Despite a victory over Canada, their fate now rests on the outcome of other matches in Group A. Amidst the turmoil, Pakistan batsman Imam-ul-Haq has come to the defense of under-fire captain Babar Azam.

Imam has questioned the criticism directed at Babar, particularly from former teammate Ahmed Shehzad. Shehzad had criticized Babar's record as captain and batter in ICC tournaments, as well as the selection of Azam Khan, who has faced body-shaming on social media.

Imam argued that the same respect accorded to Azam Khan should be extended to Babar. He highlighted Babar's impressive international record, including an average of 50 across all three formats. "If he has an average of 50 in all three formats, who will answer (consider) that?" Imam said.

Imam also emphasized the importance of respect for the national team captain. "You want to remove him from captaincy, do that, nobody has a problem with that. You don't want to consider him 'King', don't. His fans have made him, what you say doesn't matter," he added.

Babar's reinstatement as captain after Pakistan's poor showing at the ODI World Cup last year has been met with mixed reactions. While his batting performances in this T20 World Cup have been respectable, his inability to lead the team to tournament victories remains a concern.

Imam acknowledged that Babar should be held accountable for his failures as captain. "He hasn't won you tournaments as a captain, that's the problem, right? So he should be asked questions. If he isn't able to do that, then do change him...but the element of respect should be there," he said.

As Pakistan faces the prospect of an early exit from the T20 World Cup, the team's unity and leadership will be crucial. Imam's defense of Babar suggests that the team remains behind their captain, despite the challenges they face.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #PakistanCricket, #BabarAzam, #ImamUlHaq, #AhmedShehzad