ICC Corridor of Famer Ricky Ponting and former India participant Ravi Shastri have provided perception on Babar Azam’s inconsistent latest type amid the continuing 2026 T20 World Cup. Each Ponting and Shastri additionally present some perception into how Pakistan ought to take care of the latest type of skilled batter.
Babar made a scratchy 15 off 18 in his aspect’s first-up three-wicket win over the Netherlands, in what was the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener.
Whereas Babar hit an unbeaten half-century towards Australia within the last match of the three-game T20I sequence towards Australia previous to the T20 World Cup, Ponting believes the right-hander has misplaced a few of his trademark timing when on the crease.
Ponting has voiced doubts about whether or not Babar nonetheless possesses the facility he as soon as needed to dominate the center overs, questioning if he’s at the moment fulfilling probably the most appropriate position for the workforce. And Shastri echoed these ideas, with the duo unpacking Pakistan’s dilemma.
“Should you’re 15 off 18 balls, you are not simply placing stress on your self, you are placing stress on the man on the different finish,” Ponting mentioned within the newest episode of The ICC Evaluation.
“The man on the different finish then is aware of that he is received to be the one to take up the boundary scoring. Babar must hit boundaries early on. He must get off and going, he wants two boundaries in his first six balls, in any other case the entire momentum of the sport goes to alter each time he goes in,” he added.
What’s troubling Babar Azam?
Revered commentator Ravi Shastri feels Babar Azam’s repute is making use of much more stress to the scenario.
“When you find yourself at that stage of your profession, there’s baggage. There is a weight of expectation. Individuals count on you to go on the market and ship. Get on the market (and) in your first 5 balls, I do not care should you get out, however I need you to make an effort to hit a few boundaries,” mentioned Shastri.
“Select your spot, get into good positions, anticipate what the bowler is doing. You’ll really feel so much higher and issues would possibly change,” he added.
Ricky Ponting on Babar Azam’s batting place
Notably, Babar batted at No.4 in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup opener towards the Netherlands, which Ricky Ponting believes solely provides to the rising stress.
“It simply to me appears like he is misplaced a little bit of his energy, his ball hanging potential, like taking that spinner on the best way he did and never with the ability to even go near clearing it,” Ponting continued.
“I defended him firstly of the match … a giant identify participant in a giant occasions … expertise, you want (these gamers) in your aspect if you are going to win. Pakistan want one of the best model of Babar Azam if they will go additional on this match,” he added.
The 51-year-old Ponting steered Pakistan ought to even think about returning Babar to his extra favored place within the batting order at first drop.
“I’d even take into consideration batting him at No.3. I believe the sooner he goes in, if he can get a while contained in the Powerplay with the sphere up, I believe that is going to assist him as a result of if he has simply misplaced that little little bit of energy, you then want all the pieces in your favour. So having solely two fielders out would assist him,” he mentioned.
“The fellows that (are) batting after him have gotten loads of energy anyway. They’ll make the most of these center overs with the spinners on and the fielders out. They have a giant choice to make whether or not he stays in or whether or not they go away him out,” he added.
In the meantime, the 63-year-old Shastri additionally has his doubts as as to whether Babar ought to nonetheless be a starter for Pakistan.
“There will probably be questions requested. He is a high quality participant … we all know he is received the expertise to regulate in a short time, however he has to do it rapidly as a result of (the center overs are) a really essential interval of play. In T20 cricket, you possibly can’t give it that a lot time until the situations are actually in favor of the bowlers,” Shastri continued.
Pakistan’s subsequent T20 World Cup 2026 fixture is a date with the USA in Colombo on February 11.