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Babar Azam's Cousin Kamran Akmal Cluelessly Picks 'No Ego' Defence For Form Slump

Soumyajit Dutta

Babar Azam and Kamran Akmal [Source: @Sports_Himanshu/X.com]Babar Azam and Kamran Akmal [Source: @Sports_Himanshu/X.com]

Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam is under intense scrutiny following a prolonged run drought, drawing criticism from fans and pundits alike. While some demand his retirement, others urge the Pakistan Cricket Board to drop him from the national setup.

Amidst this backlash, Babar's cousin and former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has stepped forward to support him. However, Akmal's defence notably sidestepped discussions about Babar's cricket form, focusing instead on personal attributes.

Akmal's Strange Personal Defence For Babar

Speaking about Babar Azam's character, while defending his form slump, Akmal weirdly attributed his nature to his family first instead of addressing the form slump.

“I can guarantee that I haven't seen ego in him. He respects his family and meets everyone respectfully. But what I want from him is, when he enters the field, he doesn't act bigger than the game. Prioritise Pakistan. The investments he made in some players during his tenure as Pakistan captain didn't favour the country, too,” during his appearance on The Game Plan YouTube show.

Babar Azam endured a poor run in the recently concluded ODI series against West Indies, managing just 56 runs across three innings. He started with a fighting 47 off 64 balls in the opening game but failed to build on it, following up with a golden duck in the second ODI and a sluggish 9 off 23 balls in the decider. 

With an average of only 18.67 and a strike rate of 62.22, the Pakistan star struggles highlighted his ongoing form slump.

Babar's Form Concerns and Future Uncertainty

Undoubtedly one of Pakistan's modern greats, Babar's current struggles are particularly jarring given his high standards. The former captain, now absent from the T20I side, holds an unwanted record of seven ducks in 128 T20I matches (121 innings). 

While reports suggest he might not be in contention for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 squad, his immediate focus will be on regaining form and silencing critics with runs. The question of his T20I return hangs in the balance.