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'His Performance Will Get Better': Mohammad Hafeez Backs Babar Azam Amid Captaincy Saga

image-lpicgikfFormer Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (X.com)

Trouble mounted for Babar Azam after Pakistan was knocked out of the ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 under his leadership. Not only did the men in green lose their top spot in the ICC rankings, but they also suffered heavy consecutive losses to set up an unwanted record. 

The entire blame for the lost campaign fell on the captain's shoulders, and he took responsibility by gracefully stepping down as the captain of the senior national team across all three formats. 

Meanwhile, after the World Cup heartbreak, men in green are ready for their first big challenge. Pakistan is scheduled to tour Australia for a three-game test series under the leadership of Shan Masood. Babar will serve as a pure batter henceforth.


Hafeez Backs Babar Azam After Captaincy Drama

Ahead of the tour, Pakistan's newly minted director of cricket, Mohammad Hafeez, addressed the media and openly backed former skipper Babar Azam. He says captaincy adds an extra layer of pressure on any player, regardless of their stature.  

Babar Azam was a victim of the same, as the pressure of captaincy directly affected his performance with the bat. But now that Azam is free from those duties, Hafeez expects his batting graph to grow significantly.

"As a batsman, Babar Azam has immense contributions for Pakistan. Not being captain will release pressure from him. Captaincy definitely adds pressure onto a cricketer. With that pressure eased, I think Babar's performance will get even better," Hafeez said.

Hafeez clarified that Babar Azam has always been their lead contributor in the past. The captaincy merely affected his efficiency. But overall, he has no doubts about the former skipper's caliber or talent whatsoever. 

"He has already been making excellent contributions for Pakistan cricket, and I think he will further enhance his performance to help Pakistan achieve success," he added.

Ultimately, the former cricketer opines that Babar's decision to quit captaincy will not only help him but also Pakistan cricket in general. 

That being said, Mohammad Hafeez will be traveling with the team to Australia as an interim head coach. Since moving Mickey Arthur to the domestic circuit, PCB has yet to announce a replacement. Until then, Hafeez will lead the charge and guide the men in green.