Babar Azam attacked for 'poor intent' as Sanjay Manjrekar issues huge warning to Pakistan
Published - 20 Feb 2025, 02:28 PM | Updated - 20 Feb 2025, 11:36 PM
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Pakistan’s sluggish approach in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand has raised serious concerns, with Sanjay Manjrekar pointing fingers at Babar Azam’s lack of intent after the defending champions suffered an embarrassing defeat of 60 runs in Karachi.
Sanjay Manjrekar also wondered if Babar Azam’s slow batting against New Zealand was because he lacked intent or the skill to play aggressively. Babar struggled to accelerate Pakistan’s run chase against New Zealand, scoring 64 runs off 90 balls at a strike rate of 71.1.
Babar Azam’s cautious approach blamed for Pakistan’s crushing defeat against New Zealand
The former Pakistan skipper’s much-criticized innings included 52 dot balls, and it took him 81 deliveries to reach his fifty. With just six boundaries and a lone six to his name, Babar’s cautious approach put added pressure on the hosts, as the required run rate kept climbing.
Chasing the massive target of 321 runs, the Men in Green needed a strong start, but their batting faltered early, and even the injured Fakhar Zaman could not open for them against the Black Caps. The Pakistan cricket team managed only 22 runs in the first 10 overs against the Black Caps, marking one of the lowest powerplay scores in ICC Champions Trophy history.
This also became Pakistan’s lowest-ever powerplay total at home in ODIs, breaking their previous record of 31/2, which also came against New Zealand in Karachi back in 2023. With Fakhar Zaman unable to open due to an injury, Babar was expected to lead from the front, but his inability to accelerate made him the villain of Pakistan’s crushing loss to the Kiwis.
Sanjay Manjrekar slams Babar Azam’s intent
After the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener, Sanjay Manjrekar criticized Babar Azam’s lack of intent during the stiff chase in Karachi. The former Indian batter also believes that Pakistan’s real test will come in the next few matches in the tournament, where it will become clear whether their struggles are due to poor mindset or a deeper issue with their batting ability.
The cricket pundit has noted that if intent is the only problem, the Men in Green can still make a comeback with the right adjustments, but if the issue lies in their overall skill and execution, it won’t be easy to fix these issues. He shared his thoughts on social media on February 20.
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Intent is an issue with Pakistan or inherent ability?
Sanjay Manjrekar posted, X: “Babar Azam clearly showed poor intent in the first game. But in the next couple of matches, we will know if intent is an issue with Pakistan or inherent ability. If it’s ability, then that can’t be easily resolved.”
Babar Azam clearly showed poor intent in the first game. But in the next couple of matches we will know if intent is an issue with Pakistan or inherent ability. If it’s ability then that can’t be easily resolved. #ChampionsTrophy
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 20, 2025
Notably, Babar has been facing intense heat from the fans and former cricketers across the world for his slow innings against the Black Caps. The right-hander has already been struggling to deliver in the Tests and ODIs, with many suggesting he doesn’t have the requisite skills to succeed in the formats.
The Men in Green will next face India in the high-pressure game in Dubai and if they fail to repeat the result of the 2021 T20 World Cup, then their hopes of retaining Champions Trophy will be over.
