Former Pakistan cricketer Imran Nazir has spoken out in support of ex-Pakistan captain Babar Azam, describing him as the best player in the world and urging critics to grasp the intricacies of cricket before passing judgment.
In a recent interview with a local news channel, Nazir highlighted Babar’s exceptional blend of technical expertise, cricketing skills, and personal character, affirming that Azam embodies the essence of cricketing excellence.
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“To those who criticize Babar Azam, I would say, first understand cricket. He is the world’s best player, and I firmly believe that in Pakistan, Babar is the player who, in terms of technique, as a cricketer, and as a personality embodies what it means to be a cricketer. A team doesn’t rely solely on one player; 10 other players also contribute. He is doing his part; what about the rest?” Imran Nazir said.
Emphasizing the importance of teamwork, the 42-year-old argued that blaming a single player for the team’s performance is unjust, especially when the entire team is not meeting expectations.
“When we talk about teamwork, it’s not just about one player’s efforts. When the entire team isn’t performing well, solely targeting Babar isn’t fair. While he receives praise globally and brings pride to Pakistan, here we tend to sideline him and shift focus to someone else,” he added.
On November 15th, 2023, 29-year-old Babar Azam stepped down from captaincy across all formats following a meeting with the then Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf.
Following Azam’s decision, Shan Masood was appointed Test captain, while Shaheen Shah Afridi took charge as the T20I captain. The ODI captaincy is yet to be announced.
