Inzamam-ul-Haq: “In the last 10 years, this is the first time Babar is going through a lean patch. He’s made people so used to his brilliance that they forget even greats have off days”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has defended batsman Babar Azam, saying “even greats have off days”.
His comments come at a time when Azam has been heavily criticised for his prolonged rough patch, where he has found it difficult to score runs consistently.
Inzamam noted that this is the first time the 30-year-old is experiencing a lean patch in 10 years and urged people to be more understanding.
He also advised Azam to “go back to the basics” and stick “to his natural game” as it will help him “regain his form quickly”.
“When a player has had a long and consistent career, such phases are bound to happen. In the last 10 years, this is the first time Babar is going through a lean patch. He’s made people so used to his brilliance that they forget even greats have off days,” Inzamam was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
“When we used to play under Imran (Khan) Bhai, he always told struggling players to go back to the basics. That is what Babar needs now – not pressure about strike-rate. If he sticks to his natural game, he will regain his form quickly.”
Azam was recently in action in Pakistan’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand and made 129 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 43.
He then proceeded to captain the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and accumulated 288 runs in 10 games, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 36 and a strike-rate of 128.57.
Following PSL 10, Pakistan took on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series, but Azam was not picked in the side.
The men in green won the series 3-0.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper) and Saim Ayub
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