'What do I do with a King..': Ahmed Shehzad BLASTS Babar Azam after Pakistan's T20 WC defeat vs India

Veteran Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad launched a scathing attack on Babar Azam after Men in Green's six-run loss at the hands of India in the T20 World Cup on Sunday (June 9) in New York.

Babar-led Pakistan opted to bowl first at theNassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York,and rode on Naseem Shah-Haris Rauf's three-fers along with Mohammad Amir's 2 for 23 to dismiss India for 119 in 19 overs. However, they fell flat in the run-chase, only managing 113 for 7 courtesy of Jasprit Bumrah's 3 for 14 and Hardik Pandya's 2 for 24.

After the match, Shehzad didn't mince his words on Babar, slamming him for his poor strike-rate in T20Is and inability to win key games for the side.

Shehzad, who last played for Pakistan in 2019, alleged that Babar has built a Pakistan team on the basis of friendships.

On a Pakistani cricket show, the right-hander said, "You have hallucinated people by scoring runs against B, C, and D teams. Your salaries were increased by PCB to evolve your game, but you put their money on social media for image building and nothing else."

Shehzad further opined, "Look at your scores in big tournaments, your stats, your average and your strike rate. What kind of a king Babar Azam … Iss king ka kya karu jisne match nahi jitwana hai. (What do I do with a King who does not win you matches). There is a stat that your big scores have come in losing causes.”

The 32-year-old pointed out, "You have picked your friends and given them 40 matches to prove their worth and this is hurting Pakistan cricket. You can give 40 matches to this 40-year-old (pointing towards former Pakistaniplayer Imran Nazir) and he will also give you performances at this age. Look at our domestic performers, they are ignored and they are leaving the country, going to the USA, and UAE to play cricket."

Shehzad slammed Babar for his inability to build a team despite being the captain for five years.

In this regard, he added,"You are a middle-order batter and a leader and you had five years to build the team; but you have not been able to develop a single middle-order batter, there is no proper all-rounder in the team. Aapne kisi ko ban ne nahi diya, aapko sirf thulle chahiye thee, ji aap upar se 15 over khlele, aur fir neeche se aake aaknhe band karke maarte jaae. (You did not develop anyone, you only needed players who hit blindly because you want to bat for 15 overs and then have these players come in and try to hit blindly)."

Babar has had an ordinary start in the T20 WC.

He made an ineffective 43-ball 44 versus USA, against whom Pakistan lost in the Super Over, before only managing 13 off 10 balls versus India.

Time and again, questions have been raised on his strike-rate; i.e. an ordinary129.77 in the format.

Moreover, many have pointed fingers at his inability to stand tall with the bat against stronger teams.

Thus, the right-hander is under the scanner for his batting as well as for his ordinary leadership with Pakistan reeling at the T20 WC, being held in West Indies and USA.