Ahmed Shehzad, a Pakistani cricket player, has harshly attacked Babar Azam and blamed him for Pakistan's slow start in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He thinks Babar didn't do his job when the team needed him the most, like in their first game against New Zealand. At the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan lost by 60 runs.

Shehzad said Babar's slow hitting was a big reason for the loss. Many fans expressed their disappointment on platforms like Billy 777 login, discussing how Babar's performance impacted the team's chances.

Babar Azam's Slow Hits While Under Fire

When Pakistan played New Zealand on February 19, they had trouble with hitting and bowling. People didn't like how slow Babar Azam batted, even though he got 64 runs off 90 balls. Many people think that the way he played put pressure on the team and made the batting slump worse.

Ahmed Shehzad, on a local news station, discussed how Babar played 52 "dot balls" in the first 13 overs, which put the team in a tough spot.

Shehzad said, "He was under a lot of stress." "A lot of money is being put into Babar Azam. He's a good player, but he's not there when his country needs him. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been there for him for many years.

"You played 52 dot balls," he said. In the first 13 overs, Pakistan got 60 "dot balls." That's where we lost the game."

Thoughts on Babar and Rizwan's Partnership

Shehzad also criticized Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's batting combination. During their chase of 321 runs, he said their method was "schoolboy stuff" and pointed out that they had only scored 14 runs off 38 balls.

"Being senior players, Babar and Rizwan should have shown they meant business." It was easier to score with the new ball, and they missed the chance to put New Zealand under pressure. He said, "Instead, they played defense, which made the chase even harder."

Concerns about Babar's most recent work

Ahmed Shehzad said Babar hasn't been consistent because he hasn't done well in the last two to three years. He noted that Babar used to be the best player in ODIs but is having difficulty making a mark now.

"He hasn't done well for the past two or three years." His game has slowed down in T20s. He has only won the player of the Match award once in 59 Test matches. Mickey Arthur, his old coach, did everything he could to help him improve on the Test team, but he hasn't always done well.

He also said, "Babar used to be one of the best in ODIs, but now he is having a hard time." His performance against New Zealand brought Pakistan down.

A Match They Have to Win Against India

Pakistan needs to win now that they've lost the first game. On Sunday, February 23, they play India at the Dubai International Stadium. To protect their Champions Trophy title, they will have to win more games than they lose.

Everyone is looking to Babar Azam and the team to step up and do a great job. Fans and experts will be very interested in seeing if Babar can win for Pakistan and show his doubters they are wrong.