'Shocked That Wasim Akram Didn't Stop Him: PAK Legend Slams Shoaib Malik for ‘Babar Should Quit’ Remark - WATCH

A plethora of former Pakistan cricketers were left baffled after the Babar Azam-led side was thrashed by India in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 fixture on Saturday in Ahmedabad. After bundling out Pakistan for a paltry 191, the likes of Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer smashed fifties to guide India home with 117 balls to spare. After the eighth loss in a World Cup match against the men in blue, former captain Shoaib Malik launched a scathing attack on Babar Azam, pointing a finger at his leadership abilities in ODIs.

Speaking on A Sports, Malik questioned Babar’s ability to think differently as a captain and suggested if the latter steps down from his post then it would help him evolve as a batter.

“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,” he said.

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The criticism irked Pakistan legend Mohammad Yousuf who not only lashed out as Malik for his remarks but also former captain Wasim Akram who was part of the panel.

Speaking on Samaa TV, Yousuf opined that the former players should back the team when it’s under pressure instead them bashing them on public platforms. He further cited the example of the great Imran Khan, stating that the legendary all-rounder won the World Cup for Pakistan on his third attempt as a skipper.

“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 said.

The former was surprised to see Akram not interrupting Malik over his comments on Babar Azam.