Babar Azam’s immense popularity among Pakistani cricket fans is undeniable. However, during a recent Champions Cup 2024 match between Stallions and Dolphins, former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed engaged in some light-hearted sledging directed at Babar.
As Babar walked out to bat after his team won the toss and elected to bat first, Sarfaraz, who was mentoring the Dolphins franchise, couldn’t resist a playful dig. “No hurry, no hurry. Tell them to keep chanting ‘Babar, Babar.’ Let Babar play 40 overs and we’ll get the others out,” Sarfaraz quipped, his comments captured by the stump microphone.
Despite the playful banter, Babar remained unfazed and went on to score his first century in the competition. The Pakistan T20I captain reached the triple-figure mark in 99 balls, finishing on 104 off 100 deliveries with seven boundaries and three sixes.
However, Babar’s tenure as white-ball captain may be nearing its end. Recent reports have suggested that Mohammad Rizwan is emerging as the frontrunner to replace Babar as skipper. This news has sparked mixed reactions from fans and former Pakistan cricketers.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has expressed his support for Rizwan to take over the captaincy. “The way Rizwan led the side, he proved there is no better skipper than him. He has shown it with his captaincy. He read the pitch; it is a big thing. Even Babar can’t do that,” Ali said on his YouTube channel.
Whether Babar will continue as captain or Rizwan will take over remains to be seen. However, one thing is for sure: the competition for the captaincy is heating up, and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds in the coming months.
