ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Javed Miandad mentioned as 'King' Babar Azam warned amid poor form

Pakistan National Cricket Team star batter Babar Azam has received a major warning to deliver for his team in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Rashid Latif and Umar Akmal believe that Babar Azam should regain his focus and repay the faith of the Pakistan team management by performing well in the marquee tournament.

Also Read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Harbhajan Singh digs up stats to humiliate Babar Azam & Pakistan

Babar struggling ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The 30-year-old right-handed batter recently created history by becoming the fastest-ever player in the history of cricket to score 6000 ODI runs.

In 126 ODI matches, Babar has scored 6019 runs at an average of 55.73. He has also slammed 19 centuries and 34 fifties in the 50-over cricket for his team.

However, the form is not on his side heading into the Champions Trophy. Recently, Babar had a great opportunity to get some runs under his belt in the Tri-nation and prepare well for the 50-over competition, but he failed to do that.

The right-handed batter struggled against New Zealand and South Africa in all three matches, and Pakistan also lost the final of the Tri-nation series to the New Zealand National Cricket Team.

Babar scored 10 runs in the opening match against the Black Caps and just 23 runs in the second game against the Proteas. Expectations were high from him in the final of the series, but he failed there too, scoring just 29 runs.

There was a time Babar Azam was going parallel with Javed Miandad - Rashid Latif

Speaking on Geo News, the former Pakistan National Cricket Team wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif drew a comparison between Babar and the legendary batter Javed Miandad.

He said that Babar was batting just like Miandad for a period of time, but now he has started to struggle and needs to regain his focus quickly. Latif also claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board played a part in the batter's downfall.

"There was a time Babar Azam was going parallel with Javed Miandad, both of them didn't get out while batting for Pakistan, but now Babar has started getting out. He needs to get focused. The board did wrong with him by taking and giving captaincy repeatedly, but the boards do this to break player power. It is not easy, but he should regain his focus and come back strongly," Rashid Latif said.

Rashid Latif draws a fascinating comparison between Babar Azam and the legendary Javed Miandad.

Can Babar reach the heights of one of Pakistan’s greatest batters? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/72yS3RLCzw

— PakPassion.net (@PakPassion) February 16, 2025

A lot of responsibility has fallen on him - Umar Akmal

Meanwhile, the Pakistan batter Umar Akmal said that Babar is called the 'king' of Pakistan cricket and he needs to score big runs for the side.

"I don't understand the combination of the Pakistan team at all. Our middle order hasn't done anything. The one we call the "KING," Babar, needs to score bigger runs. A lot of responsibility has fallen on him. If the Pakistan team has trusted Babar to open the innings, then he should live up to that trust," Umar Akmal said.

Umar Akmal has urged Babar Azam to live up to the team's trust by scoring runs as an opener, too!

Where do you think he should bat in the current lineup? pic.twitter.com/bmIOXVgNuN

— PakPassion.net (@PakPassion) February 15, 2025