Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has questioned Babar Azam’s efficiency as a batter following their national team’s ouster from the T20 World Cup 2024.

Under the captaincy of Azam, Pakistan were knocked out in the group stage after finishing in the third spot following losses against hosts USA and arch-rivals India. Incidentally, Azam was the top scorer for Pakistan in the marquee event, scoring 122 runs in four matches at an average of 40.66.

“Who is our best player? Our best player is Babar Azam. I am just talking about the top 4-5 teams. Can Babar fit into the playing XI of those teams? Of Australia, of India or of England in just this particular format? The answer is NO!,” Malik told Ten Sports in a chat.

Furthermore, Malik also questioned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the lack of vision to take the team forward. He cited the example of the Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI), stating that the board has not asked their captain Rohit Sharma to follow a certain approach and rather asked himself to take the initiative.

“They have to take this initiative. The selection committee or the chairman or whoever comes, they do not have a vision. They do not understand that when you are playing, it is your responsibility that you should look into that, isn’t it?”, he said.

“The selection committee has told Rohit Sharma that we do not have to play like this, he himself has to take the initiative. You will have to start from here because things under you are not good. Work is being done there, I have heard that it is happening and God willing it happens and becomes better,” he asserted.