Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has defended star batter Babar Azam, calling him the foundation of the national side even though he has struggled with the bat recently. Speaking at the captains’ press conference on Saturday, Afridi rejected suggestions that Babar was feeling the strain after a string of disappointing performances.
The remarks came ahead of the ODI tri-nation series against England and Sri Lanka. Afridi said Babar was not under any pressure, describing him as the main player in the squad. He also praised the left-arm pacer’s contribution in the 50-over format and expressed confidence that the experienced batter could deliver when needed.
Babar’s difficult Test series and domestic return
Babar endured a tough Test series against England, managing one substantial innings of 76 runs across four outings. His other scores in that series were 8, 6 and 7. He then played in the President’s Trophy Grade-I to try to find his rhythm again, but he continued to struggle.
In that domestic competition, he recorded scores of 12, 4, 21 and 21 across four innings. Afridi said Babar had returned to domestic cricket after the England Test series in an effort to regain his form and tried to score runs, adding that such setbacks are part of the game.
Babar’s ODI record and leadership role
Afridi pointed to Babar’s recent ODI numbers as a more encouraging picture. During Pakistan’s previous ODI series against Australia at home in June, Babar scored 125 runs in three innings at an average of 41.66, including a knock of 69. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer in that series, behind Australia’s Josh Inglis, who made 129 runs.
The captain also stressed Babar’s value as a senior figure in the dressing room. He noted that Babar has captained Pakistan in white-ball cricket and currently leads the Test side, and said younger players learn a great deal from him. Afridi added, “whenever Pakistan have needed him, he has scored runs for the team.”
Salman Ali Agha and preparing for the 2027 World Cup
Afridi was also asked about Salman Ali Agha, who was recently removed as T20I captain and dropped midway through the Test series against England. He backed the all-rounder’s ability to contribute in ODI cricket, calling him a strong character and one of the team’s leading run-scorers. Afridi also noted that Salman recently scored a triple century in first-class cricket.
Explaining the wider plan, Afridi said building a competitive squad for major tournaments requires a balance between experienced players and emerging talent. He said young players need to be introduced gradually, given opportunities and allowed to learn alongside seniors. He described the tri-nation series as very important and praised the team’s recent T20I performances against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s longer-term target is the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Afridi said the team had spent the last four ODI series trying to build a side with that tournament in mind, and that the focus was on preparing in the best possible way.
