Akram takes another jibe at Babar Azam: 'Your captain plays for himself & is insecure...'

Even though Pakistan defeated the Netherlands on Sunday to record their first victory of the T20 World Cup 2022 tournament, captain Babar Azam's poor form with the bat continues. The 28-year-old has been dismissed in single-digit scores in each of his three games so far: a duck against India, and just four runs against both Zimbabwe and the Netherlands. Amid Babar's poor form, legendary Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has taken another swipe at him.

Wasim Akram slams Babar Azam again

After previously having questioned Babar Azam's ability to lead Pakistan, Wasim Akram has taken another jibe at the 28-year-old. While speaking on A Sports' show, The Pavillion, Akram said, "I have been through this by the way with Babar, at Karachi Kings. In the team, we had a couple of bad seasons and I requested him once or twice nicely, that please come down at number 3, we'll try something different."

"Let Martin Guptill bat at the top, seeing he is an opener. And he (Babar) said I would not go down, you ask Sharjeel to bat at 3, and he (Sharjeel) is a natural opener too. And these little things that the captain does, the team senses too, added the former Pakistani fast bowler. All of these things begin at the top. And at the top is your captain. Your captain plays for himself and is insecure," he added. 

Speaking of how a skipper should lead the side, Akram added, "If your captain scores runs and lets other batsmen play at his position, you get to know that your captain is ready to sacrifice himself for you, this Babar has to learn."

Babar's T20 World Cup 2022 campaign has not begun to plan as they not only lost their opener against arch-rivals India but also suffered a humiliating defeat against Zimbabwe.

Pakistan will next play against South Africa on November 3, in what would be a must-win game if they are to have any chance of progressing through to the semi-finals. As things stand in Group 2 of the T20 World Cup 2022 points table, Pakistan is currently in fifth place with just two points, two points behind second-placed Bangladesh.