Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has openly criticized Babar Azam’s captaincy after Pakistan endured a 3-0 whitewash in the three-match Test series against England. England secured a comprehensive series victory by winning the final Test in Birmingham, following their earlier triumphs at Headingley and Lord’s.
Babar Azam missed the first Test due to injury but returned to captain the side in the second Test, where he managed scores of eight and six runs as Pakistan suffered another heavy loss. Akram expressed that Babar should have refrained from taking on the captaincy and instead focused solely on his role as a player.
“I do not want to place blame, and I might be mistaken, but in my view, Babar should not have accepted the captaincy. It was unnecessary,” Akram remarked. He further suggested that after the second Test, Babar should have stepped down from leadership and continued only as a player.
These comments were made during a charity fundraising event in Manchester, where Akram spoke alongside former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis. Additionally, Akram questioned Babar’s statement claiming ignorance about the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to send seven players home and overhaul the coaching staff following the second Test defeat.
“Babar said he didn’t know about these changes. If that’s true, then what was he doing here? Was he here just to sell chickpeas?” Akram said sarcastically. He added that a captain’s support is crucial, stating, “If your leader does not stand by you, you cannot give your best as a player or as a person.”
England dominated the series, winning the opening Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, followed by a 194-run victory at Lord’s. Their win in Birmingham sealed the 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan.
In response to the second Test defeat, the Pakistan Cricket Board made significant changes by sending seven players home and restructuring the coaching staff in an effort to address the team’s poor performance.
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