PAK Vs AUS: Shoaib Malik And Mohammad Yousuf Get In A Tussle Over Babar Azam's Captaincy

Pakistan endured a demoralizing loss to arch-rivals India by seven wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 held in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The disheartening defeat triggered a discussion about the leadership skills of the current captain, Babar Azam, led by former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik.

Shoaib Malik, speaking on a local sports channel, openly questioned Babar’s aptitude for creative captaincy and suggested that stepping down from the captain’s role could potentially enable Babar to focus on his batting and make a more impactful contribution to the team. “I gave an opinion in the past as well that Babar Azam should leave captaincy. This is my personal opinion. Babar does not think out of the box as a captain. He is doing captaincy, but the improvement is not coming. He can do wonders for Pakistan as a player,” Malik said.

However, Malik’s remarks were met with staunch opposition from Pakistan’s cricket legend, Mohammad Yousuf. Yousuf believed that discussing leadership changes was untimely, especially given the immense pressure the team faced amid a World Cup. He stressed the importance of persisting with Babar as captain and drew a parallel to the successful leadership of former captain Imran Khan.

“During the World Cup, I don’t think anybody should talk about this. Secondly, Imran Khan captained in 1983 and 1987 and lost both times before winning on his third attempt in 1992. Any good player should be allowed to continue as a captain for a long time. He is the captain because he has the ability. He did not become the captain because he is related to the PCB chairman. He is a genuine skipper,” Yousuf affirmed.

Shoaib Malik Defends His Opinion

In addition to rebuking Shoaib Malik, Yousuf also raised objections to the legendary cricketer Wasim Akram, who was part of the discussion panel. Yousuf believed that such discussions were counterproductive, especially in the wake of Pakistan’s loss to India.

“So talking about him in this manner is a loss for Pakistan and for him as well, especially amid the immense pressure post that loss against India. I am shocked that Wasim Akram, who was sitting there, did not stop him either,” Yousuf added.

In response to Yousuf’s critique, Shoaib Malik acknowledged the respect he holds for Yousuf as a fellow sportsman. He reiterated his right to express his opinions when asked a question. Malik also extended a message of goodwill and affection toward Yousuf. “I have had a great time with Yousuf bhai. I really respect him. However, it was my point of view, it is my right that if somebody asks me a question, I’ll definitely respond to it. If you understood the question and understood my answer, there would be no need to talk on a channel. Other than that, Yousuf bhai, I love you,” Malik concluded.

Under Babar Azam’s leadership, Pakistan occupied the No.1 spot in ICC ODI Rankings not long ago. Pakistan’s next match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is against the five-time World Champions, Australia. The match will be played on 20th October at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Australia, who recently defeated Sri Lanka to get their first win of the tournament will not go easy on Pakistan so it will be a big test of Babar Azam’s leadership skills.