Imam-ul-Haq Speaks Out in Support of Babar Azam

Imam-ul-Haq supports star batter Babar Azam following criticism for underwhelming performances.
During the second T20I, Babar faced chants from the crowd, which went viral.
Imam-ul-Haq criticized the nation's treatment of sports stars.

Pakistan’s left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq has extended his support to star batter Babar Azam, who has faced criticism following a series of underwhelming performances.

The men’s national team recently endured a 3-0 T20I series loss to Australia, with Babar managing only 47 runs at an average of 15.66 and a strike rate of 142.42.

During the second T20I at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Babar, fielding near the boundary, faced harsh chants from the crowd. The remarks included, "Have some shame! You don’t even deserve a spot in the T20 team. Go back to Lahore,"

The incident, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media. While visibly displeased, Babar chose not to react to the taunts.

The episode sparked outrage within the cricketing community, with Imam-ul-Haq expressing his disappointment on Instagram. Sharing the viral video, Imam criticized the nation’s treatment of its sports stars, writing, "As a nation, we have failed. Instead of supporting, we mock. Babar, you are still a champion."

Despite the T20I series setback, Pakistan is gearing up for a white-ball tour of Zimbabwe, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. The squad for the tour includes several new faces, with key players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Babar rested. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the ODI squad, while his deputy takes charge in the T20Is.

Pakistan’s ODI squad for Zimbabwe:

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir.

Pakistan’s T20I squad for Zimbabwe:

Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.

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