'Fake King': Babar Azam’s cousin stabs him in the back after Pakistan’s loss to India

Umar Akmal sparked controversy involving Babar Azam after Pakistan’s 61-run defeat to India during the T20 World Cup 2026. After the loss at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Akmal drew attention with a social media post on X (formerly known as Twitter), in which Babar was referred to as a “fake king.”

Babar has been under pressure following his poor performances during the T20 World Cup 2026. The right-handed batter has managed just 66 runs at a dismal average of 22 and a strike rate of 115.78. In the recent match against India, he scored 5 runs off 7 balls before throwing his wicket away with a poor shot.

‘Fake King’: Umar Akmal on Babar Azam After Pakistan's Loss

After Pakistan’s defeat, Umar Akmal reacted to a post that praised him as “pure talent” while taking a dig at so-called “fake kings.” The post claimed Akmal never had fake fan clubs, was never branded a “king,” and did not rely on social media hype.

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Notably, the post did not mention Babar Azam by name. Given Babar’s long association with the “King” tag among fans, the timing and wording were widely seen as a direct shot. Many are questioning why a former international cricketer chose to respond to digs instead of backing the team.

🤲🧿 https://t.co/CDBpb7lVGl

— Umar Akmal (@Umar96Akmal) February 17, 2026

Fans Split as Umar Akmal’s Post Triggers Strong Reactions

Social media users criticised Umar Akmal for dragging personal grievances into a national sporting setback, calling the move “cheap” and “ill-timed.” A section of fans also accused him of seeking relevance after years away from international cricket.

Others, however, supported Akmal, arguing that Pakistan cricket has leaned too heavily on branding and hero worship. They claimed the team needs performances, not titles, and praised Akmal for “speaking the truth,” even if it made people uncomfortable.

"Bro he was also given many chances but he failed us many times his stats speaks," one user wrote.

"Umer bro you were excellent player. Have not seen any player like you in t20 for Pakistan," another user stated.

"Bro you are one of the finest middle order player for pakistan ever but you ruined yourself with your activities," a fan added.

Umar Akmal’s International Career in Numbers

Umar Akmal played international cricket for Pakistan for around ten years after making his debut in 2009. He last represented Pakistan in a T20I against Sri Lanka on October 7, 2019. His final ODI appearance came earlier that year on March 31 against Australia, while his Test career ended on September 1, 2011, against Zimbabwe.

Akmal scored a total of 5,887 runs across all formats. In 121 ODIs, he made 3,194 runs at an average of 34.34, including two centuries and 20 fifties. He played 84 T20Is and scored 1,690 runs at an average of 26.00, with eight half-centuries.

In Tests, Akmal featured in 16 matches and scored 1,003 runs at an average of 35.82. He registered his only Test century on debut away from home but did not receive an extended run in the longest format.

Also read: Jason Gillespie names Pakistan pacer ahead of Jasprit Bumrah in his greatest T20 bowlers list