Babar Azam, the shining star of Pakistan cricket, is currently facing the harsh side of social media. As Pakistan battles to avoid a humiliating Test series defeat against Bangladesh, Babar’s extended slump in form has led to a barrage of online trolling, derogatory memes, and now, a series of fake retirement announcements.
The situation escalated after Babar’s disappointing performance in the second Test match in Rawalpindi, where he managed to score only 31 and 11 runs. On Monday afternoon, a post resembling an official retirement announcement went viral on X, tricking even some of his most loyal fans. Just a couple of hours later, another fake retirement post surfaced, this time from a more popular account with greater reach, mocking Babar’s tenure as Pakistan’s white-ball captain.
— Babar Azam 🧢 (@babaarazam258) September 2, 2024
Babar Azam’s form has been in a steady decline over the past year. His struggles in all formats of the game have been glaring, with his performance in ODIs and Tests hitting unprecedented lows. After Pakistan’s poor showing in the ODI World Cup in India last year, Babar lost his ODI captaincy. His batting stats have also taken a hit, with an average of just 19 in Test matches over 10 innings and a dip to 34 in ODIs. Even in T20Is, where he averaged 38, his contributions weren’t enough to lift the team’s fortunes, as Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup in the group stages, suffering a shock defeat to the USA.
During Pakistan’s tour of Australia last year, Babar managed just 126 runs at an average of 21. Before the T20 World Cup, in a series against England, he scored 68 runs in two matches at an average of 34. His performance in the T20 World Cup was also below expectations, where he averaged 40.66 over four matches but faced criticism for his low strike rate of 101.66.
In the ongoing series against Bangladesh, Babar’s struggles have persisted, with only 64 runs to his name in four innings. As Pakistan prepares for their upcoming series against England, Babar will be eager to rediscover his form.
Support Amid Criticism
Despite the criticism, Babar has received support from Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s current Test head coach and former Australian fast bowler. Gillespie expressed confidence in Babar’s abilities, saying, “Babar is a quality player. He is a world-class player. He is very close. I feel it. I am confident that we are going to see Babar scoring some big runs very soon. He probably hasn’t converted the start he has got.”
As Babar Azam navigates this challenging period in his career, the pressure to perform will be immense. But with the backing of his coach and the potential to bounce back, he remains a key figure in Pakistan’s cricketing future.
Bye bye test cricket👋 pic.twitter.com/5v5kDKgqs6
— Babar Azam – Parody (@babarazam228) September 2, 2024
