The national team is losing Babar Azam as a batter due to the burden of Test captaincy, which has prompted former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis to express his concern. Waqar, in conjunction with his colleague Wasim Akram, delivered his remarks at a charity fundraising event in Manchester on September 21, 2026.
Shan Masood was succeeded by Babar Azam as the captain of the Pakistan Test team on July 5, 2026, in anticipation of the West Indies and England tours. Pakistan was defeated by an innings and 103 runs at Lord’s and by 194 runs at Headingley before suffering a 3-0 whitewash in England. The two-match series in the West Indies was drawn 1-1.
Babar Azam leadership and batting performance have been the subject of increased scrutiny as a consequence of the series outcome. He has been without a Test century since December 2022, a period of nearly four years. After being docked 11 points for a slow over-rate in the third Test at Edgbaston, Pakistan is currently ninth in the World Test Championship standings with four points.
What was the statement made by Waqar Younis regarding Babar Azam and the captaincy?
Waqar expressed his confidence in Babar Azam abilities as a batsman, but he is of the opinion that his performance at the crease is being influenced by the captaincy. He observed that Babar’s personal performances tend to suffer whenever he assumes leadership responsibilities.
During his previous tenure as Test captain, which spanned from 2020 to 2023, Babar supervised 20 Tests, resulting in 10 victories, six losses, and four draws. He subsequently resigned.
What other events transpired during Pakistan’s tour of England?
Pakistan experienced substantial off-field turmoil during its tour of England. Following the second Test defeat, the Pakistan Cricket Board, led by chairman Mohsin Naqvi, dispatched seven players home and initiated the process of restructuring the coaching staff.
Babar Azam publicly declared at the toss preceding the third Test that the board did not counsel him and that he had no input into the decision to send those players home. Wasim Akram, who was also present at the Manchester event, criticized Babar for failing to support his team and suggested that he should have resigned following the second Test defeat.
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Pakistan’s World Test Championship campaign is faced with a challenging situation as it transitions to the subsequent cycle, as a result of the internal disruption, the points deduction, and the 3-0 series result.
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