Shoaib Akhtar slams Babar Azam's ultra-slow approach, says he has 'no intention to improve'

Babar made a painstakingly slow half-century (64 off 90 balls) in the run-chase of 321 against New Zaland in Karachi at a strike rate of 71.11. Pakistan eventually lost the match by 60 runs with their net run rate slipping to -1.20, making their qualification pathway for the semi-final incredibly difficult.

Babar has come under fire from various quarters for an innings some are seeing as match-losing. Among others, Shoaib Akhtar criticised the former Pakistan captain for showing "no intention to improve" as a cricketer.

Shoaib Akhtar: Babar is a finished product

"Babar Azam has become the product he had to become, it is visible, what can I debate about it? Akhar said in Tapmad's Game On Hai post-match analysis show. "You saw it (against New Zealand). There is no intention to improve.

"You can't run a team by acting like Maula Jatt (violent Pakistani fictional character) - 'Bring this, do this, do that' etc. You're not playing T20. You can play T20 cricket with T20 skills, but in longer formats you need awareness, intelligence and method as well. How do you create this package?

"They used to teach us way back in the 80s and 90s in club cricket how to play run-a-ball. Even us tailenders knew that we have to play run-a-ball."

Also read: 'Poor decision' - Batting injured Fakhar Zaman at No.4 hampered Babar, says Doull

How slow was Babar Azam vs New Zealand?

Babar's knock of 64 off 90 balls in the Champions Trophy opener was his fifth-slowest 50-plus score in ODIs. While he didn't get much support from the rest of the top order with Saud Shakeel (6 off 19), Mohammad Rizwan (3 off 14), and Fakhar Zaman (24 off 41) all failing to provide momentum, Pakistan's lower middle order came good with Salman Ali Agha (42 of 28) and Khushdil Shah (69 off 49) playing handy cameos. However, Babar never got going and by the time he was dismissed - at 153-6 in 34 overs - the game had all but gone out of Pakistan's reach.

Babar was particularly slow in the first powerplay, scoring only 12 off 27 balls and not taking any risk whatsoever. He got 20 off 20 balls in overs 11-20 but wasn't able to build on the momentum, managing only another 32 runs off his next 43 deliveries. Between overs 15.3 and 32, he didn't hit a single boundary.

Pujara, Basit Ali criticise Babar

“Was he playing for himself? questioned former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali in a conversation with ARY News. "He took 81 balls for his fifty. Was he playing for himself, not for the nation? Is nation first or Babar? Is the nation below him? He scored five fours, Salman Ali Agha hit more fours than him."

"In one-day cricket you can't be looking to save your own wicket instead you go to win the match. He was trying not to get out," said Cheteshwar Pujara in the show Dressing Room, criticising Babar's intent.

Pakistan's next match is against India on Sunday (February 23).