India legendary cricketer Kapil Dev backed Pakistan captain Babar Azam amid criticisms on his performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
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Babar Azam has found himself in a predicament following his side’s elimination from the ongoing 50-over tournament in India. He is not only being criticized for his leadership skills but also for his performance as well.
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Under the batter’s leadership, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals. The side registered four wins and five defeats in the group stage.
Kapil Dev, who led India to ICC Cricket World Cup 1983 victory, said it was unfair to criticize the Pakistan captain based on his recent performances.
“If you say that Babar Azam is not the right choice [for captaincy] today, it is because you are looking at just his current performance,” he said in a podcast. “He was the same captain, who made Pakistan team No.1 [in ICC ODI rankings] six months ago.”
He added, “When someone gets out for zero, 99 per cent of the people would want him to be dropped. If an ordinary player comes and scores a brilliant hundred, then they call him a superstar. So don’t look at just current performance.
Kapil Dev said Babar Azam’s approach, passion and talent should be taken into account when passing negative statements about the latter.
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