Former England captain Michael Vaughan has expressed his displeasure at the lack of respect shown to Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, during the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023. Azam has faced significant criticism due to Pakistan’s poor performance, having lost four consecutive matches in the tournament.
Vaughan highlighted that T20 cricket often naturally sets the game’s dynamics, and he emphasized that there’s less managerial responsibility for captains in T20 as compared to ODI or Test formats. He also criticized the disrespectful leaks of stories suggesting that Shaheen Afridi might replace Babar as captain during the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appeared to distance itself from the team following their poor run in the World Cup. While the PCB released a statement to show support, it was seen as a lackluster attempt to distance themselves from Babar Azam’s leadership. The statement acknowledged the emotions of cricket fans and mentioned that Babar and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the World Cup.
Pakistan is currently playing a must-win match against Bangladesh in the World Cup, and the team’s recent performance has put immense pressure on Babar and the PCB. The criticism, leaks, and the team’s poor results have created a challenging environment for Pakistan’s cricketing fraternity and fans, who are now looking for a turnaround in the team’s fortunes in the tournament.
