Wasim Akram questions Babar Azam's captaincy after England series

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram slammed Babar Azam, questioning his role as captain after he claimed ignorance of major team changes during the disastrous Test series against England, asking if he was there to 'sell chickpeas'.

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram slammed skipper Babar Azam, questioning if he was there to "sell chickpeas" during the Test series against England if he was not aware of the shake-ups within the team he was leading.The three-match Test series in the UK concluded on a disastrous note for Pakistan. After a second Test defeat to England at Lord's, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made a huge squad shake-up for the final Test, removing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul and a total of seven players, including seniors Mohammed Rizwan and Imam ul Haq. Skipper Babar himself registered three single-digit scores before scoring a rapid 76 in the final innings at Edgbaston, though in a losing effort.

Akram questions Babar's captaincy return

Akram opined that Babar should never have taken over as captain again from Shan Masood. Speaking at an event in Manchester, Akram said, as quoted by Geo News, "I do not want to blame anyone, and I could be wrong as well," Akram said. "But in my opinion, Babar should not have taken the captaincy. All of this was unnecessary," he added.

Ahead of the third Test at Birmingham, Pakistan's premier batter was asked of the changes made in the team, to which the batter surprisingly revealed that it was "news to him" as he was not aware of the changes.

'Were you here to sell chickpeas?'

Akram, a pace great, questioned Babar's role as Test skipper if he was so unaware of such massive shake-ups. "Babar Azam said he did not know. If you don’t know, then what were you doing here? Were you here to sell chickpeas?” Akram said. “As a player or as a person, I believe that if your leader or captain does not stand by you, you cannot give 100 per cent,” he added.

Akram said that Babar should have relinquished the captaincy after the second Test and played the final Test as a player. "My suggestion is that after the second Test, Babar should have said that he would play only as a player,” he added.

Babar's captaincy record

Babar was appointed as Test captain in July, replacing Shan, ahead of tours to West Indies and England. In his previous stint from 2020-23, he captained Pakistan in 20 Tests, winning 10, losing six, drawing four. After his return to leadership, Pakistan drew 1-1 in the West Indies, with Babar winning the 'Player of the Series' with two fifties and a total of 193 runs.

Pakistan hit with WTC sanctions

Pakistan were hit with a pair of sanctions for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third and final ICC World Test Championship contest against England in Birmingham.

Pakistan were ruled to be 11 overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration during the Edgbaston Test that England won by eight wickets, with the team fined 50 per cent of their match fee as a result and receiving an 11-point deduction in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. It means Pakistan lose ground at the bottom of the World Test Championship standings as a result, with the side now sitting in ninth place with a 4.63 points percentage. (ANI)

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