Babar Azam mentally unstable? Shoaib Akhtar drops Truth Bombs

Legendary Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has weighed in on the recent backlash against Babar Azam, suggesting that a break from the game during Pakistan's ongoing challenging tour of South Africa might have benefited the star batter.

The Rawalpindi Express suggested that Babar Azam should have taken a break during the South Africa tour to recover and focus on his mental health. He emphasized that mental well-being plays a crucial role in handling the ups and downs of a career, given the demanding nature of the game.

Shoaib Akhtar urges rest for Babar Azam amid struggles on South Africa tour

Shoaib Akhtar said on PTV Sports’ Game on Hain show: “Maybe it would have been better for Babar Azam to be rested for the South Africa tour. For a bigger equation, rested, well-rested, well-recovered. Keep your mental health intact. Everything is controlled by mental health. Keep it intact. No problem. Ups and downs happen. People talk. You flop, you fail. You get up and fight.”

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Shoaib Akhtar also came out in support of Babar against relentless criticism, urging fans to ease off and give the star batter room to rise again, as he has been struggling to deliver consistently with the bat across the formats of the game. He also advised Babar to avoid the outside chatter.

Urging fans to stop bashing Babar, the Rawalpindi Express said, “Yes, stop it. How much more do you want to criticize Babar? It's okay. Look, it's your own fault. It's a fact. Don't play cricket like this. You'll end up like this. Now that you're here, you have to come out of this mess.”

Babar Azam has to prove ‘I’m the best’ once again: Shoaib Akhtar

Despite the long-standing struggle, the former Pakistan pacer has firmly suggested that dropping Babar from the Pakistan team is not the solution. Instead, Akhtar is confident that Babar Azam can bounce back and prove his critics wrong by reclaiming his position as one of the best in the world.

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Akhtar signed off by saying, “We're there to help you out. We'll help you out. But you have to come out of this. There's no other option. I'm not saying you should be dropped from the team, ODI or T20I. That's not an option. The option is you have to prove to the world once again that ‘I’m the best,’ and that is a simple answer.”

A piece of advice by Shoaib Akhtar for Babar Azam & Fans
Game on Hai aired on 18-12-2024@shoaib100mph #GameOnHai pic.twitter.com/7l7JU7CVb4

— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) December 19, 2024

Babar Azam's poor form continues in South Africa

The former Pakistan pacer’s comments came after Babar could manage only 31 runs in the T20I series against South Africa, as the hosts whitewashed the tourists in the two-match T20I series 2-0. Currently, they are playing in a three-match ODI series.

Babar’s poor form continued in the 50-over format as well, as the right-hander could manage only 23 runs during Pakistan’s narrow three-wicket win over the Proteas side in the first ODI at the Boland Park. Now, South Africa and Pakistan are gearing up for the second ODI scheduled for December 19 at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

The third and final ODI will be played on December 22 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, followed by the one-off Test at the SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium in Centurion from December 26.