Babar Azam encountered significant criticism following Pakistan's disappointing elimination from the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. As the host nation, Pakistan was eliminated early after suffering consecutive defeats to New Zealand and India, with their match against Bangladesh ultimately being abandoned due to rain.

In the match against New Zealand, Babar faced backlash for his excessively cautious half-century, and he was unable to make a notable contribution in the game against India. He concluded the tournament with a total of 87 runs across two matches.

Despite the lackluster performance of both Pakistan and Babar, former Pakistan coach and player Mohsin Khan made a bold comparison, likening Babar to Virat Kohli. Kohli secured the match-winning boundary against Pakistan, which also marked his 51st ODI century.

‘Virat Kohli is zero’: Ex-Pakistan coach India star to Babar Azam

In an interview with Ary News, Mohsin expressed, “Firstly, I must clarify that Virat Kohli pales in comparison to Babar Azam; Kohli is insignificant. Our discussion is not about who excels as a player; rather, it concerns the state of Pakistan cricket, which has been severely compromised. There is a lack of planning, strategies, merit, and accountability.”

Kohli has accumulated 133 runs in the current tournament, including a century, making Mohsin’s remarks surprising to many.

Additionally, former Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam analyzed the decision to position Babar as an opener, emphasizing that it is not suited to his capabilities. “Why would you place him at No. 1? He is not an opener. The No. 3 position is crucial in a batting order, and your strongest player should occupy that spot. He should have been instructed by the coaches to remain there throughout the innings and aim for a century. If he scored a hundred and another player contributed 50 or 60 runs, you would have nearly 300 runs on the scoreboard, which is the ideal approach. Babar should have also declined the change in his batting position. I am uncertain who persuaded him to open the innings; it was an unwise decision,” he stated.

Pakistan is currently facing significant pressure following their Champions Trophy performance, with increasing scrutiny on Mohammad Rizwan. Reports have also emerged suggesting that Rizwan may soon be dismissed from his position.

Read Also: India’s Unbeaten Streak Thrills Ganguly Ahead of Champions Trophy Semifinal

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