Shaheen Backs Babar Azam, Calls Him Pakistan Team’s Backbone

RAWALPINDI: (Sports Reporter) – Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has backed star batter Babar Azam amid his recent struggles with the bat, describing him as the backbone of the national team and expressing confidence in his ability to deliver when needed.

Speaking at a captains’ press conference on Saturday ahead of the ODI tri-nation series featuring Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, Shaheen rejected suggestions that Babar was under pressure because of his recent performances.

“Babar Azam is under no pressure. He is our main player and the backbone of our team,” Shaheen said.

The left-arm fast bowler highlighted Babar’s contributions in the 50-over format, recalling his performance in Pakistan’s previous ODI series against Australia.

“He performed well for Pakistan in the last ODI series. After the England series, he returned to domestic cricket to regain his form and tried to score runs, but these things are part of cricket,” Shaheen said.

“But whenever Pakistan have needed him, he has scored runs for the team.”

Babar endured a difficult Test series against England, managing scores of 8, 6, 76 and 7 across four innings. He subsequently featured in the President’s Trophy Grade-I in an effort to regain his batting rhythm, scoring 12, 4, 21 and 21 in four innings.

However, his ODI record against Australia offered a more encouraging picture. During the three-match series at home in June, Babar scored 125 runs at an average of 41.66, including an innings of 69. He finished as the series’ second-highest run-scorer, behind Australia’s Josh Inglis, who accumulated 129 runs.

Shaheen also underlined Babar’s experience and influence in the dressing room, saying younger players could benefit from his guidance.

“Babar Azam is a senior player. He has captained Pakistan in white-ball cricket and is currently the Test captain. His presence is valuable for the team, and the youngsters learn a lot from him,” he said.

The Pakistan captain stressed that building a competitive squad for major tournaments required a gradual approach to integrating emerging players alongside experienced campaigners.

“Building a team does not mean bringing in five or six youngsters and immediately preparing them for such a major event. Young players need to be introduced gradually, given opportunities and allowed to learn alongside senior players,” Shaheen said.

He also expressed confidence in all-rounder Salman Ali Agha’s role in the ODI side, describing him as a strong character and one of the team’s leading run-scorers. Shaheen referred to Salman’s recent triple century in first-class cricket as evidence of his batting ability.

“As captain, I am satisfied that he is coming into the series after performing well, and I believe he understands his role in the ODI team,” Shaheen said.

Looking ahead, Shaheen described the tri-nation series as an important step in Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

He said Pakistan had been working to build a competitive side with the global tournament in mind during its recent ODI series.

“Our focus is on preparing in the best possible way for that tournament,” the captain added.