Pakistani journalist Rauf Klasra bizarrely claimed Babar Azam’s poor T20 WC 2026 form is due to an Indian pandit’s ‘spell,’ likening it to Zaheer Abbas’ alleged curse in Imran Khan’s autobiography, drawing widespread ridicule on social media.
Pakistani journalist Rauf Klasra made a bizarre and shocking claim about Pakistan star batter Babar Azam’s poor form in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Babar’s form has once again come under heavy scrutiny after his 25-run innings in the Men in Green’s two-wicket defeat to England in the Super 8 clash at the Pallekale International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday, February 24.
Babar was struggling throughout his 24-ball stay at the crease, batting at a strike rate of 104.17, failing to provide the quick start Pakistan needed at the top of the order. The former Pakistan’s inconsistent performance has put him in the spotlight by ex–cricketers, as he registered scores of 15, 46, 5, and 25, aggregating just 91 at an average of 22.75 in his four innings.
Babar Azam’s strike rate of 111.49 is the lowest strike rate by a batter in T20 World Cup history among players with over 500 runs, highlighting just how underwhelming his performance has been in the ongoing tournament.
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Pakistani Journalist’s Bizarre Claim on Babar’s Form
As Babar Azam’s form has become a talking point for former Pakistan cricketers, as the Men in Green are currently on the verge of an exit from the T20 World Cup 2026 following a washout against New Zealand and a defeat to England in the Super 8 stage, a Pakistani journalist stirred a debate by invoking a bizarre anecdote from Imran Khan’s autobiography.
Speaking on a Pakistani news channel, Rauf Klasra claimed that Babar Azam’s form could be an Indian pandit casting a ‘spell’ on him, drawing a parallel with Zaheer Abbas, who allegedly blamed a similar curse for his struggles in India decades ago, which was mentioned in Imran Khan’s autobiography.
Pakistani journalist further added that Babar, like Abbas decades ago, might be facing mental or external pressure affecting his performance, and that the team isn’t always open to guidance on how to overcome those struggles.
Pakistani journalist anecdote from Imran Khan’s autobiography, mentioning Zaheer Abbas’ belief in ‘black magic’ during the India tour, is true. In the autobiography, Pakistan: A Personal History, Khan wrote how Zaheer Abbas began to struggle against India and even believed someone had cast a black magic spell on him, affecting his batting during Pakistan's tour of India in 1979-80.
Khan mentioned that Abbass decided to opt himself out of the sixth Test against Team India as he was affected by the belief of the black magic spell, which made him doubt his own ability to bat effectively during the India tour.
Pakistani Journalist Faces Social Media Troll
Pakistani journalist Rauf Klasra’s bizarre claim on Babar Azam’s poor run of form in the T20 World Cup 2026 quickly drew widespread ridicule on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts mocking his ‘spell’ theory.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), netizens brutally ridiculed the Pakistani journalist’s claim as superstition, with many mocking the idea of spells, calling it irresponsible journalism, and urging them to focus on cricketing technique and form rather than relying on myths.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the semifinal have been severely damaged as New Zealand’s dominant 61-run win over Sri Lanka in their Super 8 clash eliminated the co‑hosts and strengthened the Kiwis’ own semi‑final push, leaving Pakistan needing a big win over Sri Lanka while hoping that England defeat New Zealand to keep their final hopes alive.
Babar Azam will again be in the spotlight as he has to deliver his best against Sri Lanka to help Pakistan keep their semifinal hopes alive.
