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Former Pakistan National Cricket Team fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar issued a warning to Babar Azam and several other senior cricketers of the current Pakistan cricket team ahead of their tri-nation ODI series with Sri Lanka and England at home.
Shoaib Akhtar said Babar Azam and the team's other star players deserve to play in the series, but they will face unseen pressure, as team management and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are eagerly waiting for fruitful results.
Shoaib Akhtar put a question mark on Babar Azam's future in ODIs
Speaking on the Outside Edge show, Shoaib Akhtar mentioned that Babar Azam and the others are set to play in the series. But there will be a big question mark over them if they fail to deliver according to expectations.
If Babar Azam and the other seniors of the setup fail to perform, should the team management drop them from the side? Akhtar raised the question during the discussion.
Shoaib Akhtar suggests Babar Azam prove his worth
To avoid any uncertain situation in the near future, the Pakistan cricket legend advised Azam to prove his worth in the ODIs.
“Will you have to inject Babar Azam into the Pakistan team? Of course, you will have to. Will the others have to play alongside him and adjust to his batting average? Yes, absolutely they will have to. Now we have to adjust. But would you drop him from the ODIs? I am just asking, leaving it as a question. I think the big question mark is there. I am telling you from the inside: this is something they are thinking, along those lines," Akhtar said.
"I am not here to create a sensation about Babar Azam. I think he should play, and with the performances that he has and with the talent that he has, it should go towards his best utilisation. He should prove to PCB that ‘I am a worthy ODI player,’” Akhtar further added in the conversation.
Babar Azam has played only 3 One Day Internationals in 2026 and scored 125 runs with one half-century. In the previous year, after playing 17 innings, his batting average was 34.00.
Shoaib Akhtar issues warning to four other senior Pakistan cricketers
Not only Babar Azam; Akhtar felt that there would be unseen pressure on players like Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan too. The former Pakistan cricketer suggested that the cricket board and the management not put any unnecessary pressure on the players.
"There is an unseen pressure on the senior players. That maybe this might be our last series. Let me be completely frank—Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan too. Especially Babar Azam as well. The pressure of what if this ends up being our last series? They shouldn’t have this pressure on them. That’s wrong. If we send Babar in with the mindset that ‘deliver, and if you don’t, then thank you very much,’ that’s a bit unfair. Don’t do that," Shoaib Akhtar continued.
