Umar Akmal, a former batter for Pakistan, recently shared that his cousin Babar Azam sought his advice while struggling with spin bowling. He opened up about their conversation from that time.
Babar just participated in the National T20 Cup, even though there were rumors he might not play. While playing for the Lahore Region Blues, he managed to score 22 runs off 17 balls before getting out to Danish Aziz. Akmal discussed Babar’s ongoing issues with getting out and facing spinners. He recalled how Babar once came to him, saying, “Umar bhai, I’m having a bit of trouble.”
Akmal advised him to change his grip on the bat when dealing with spin and to keep his eyes on the ball until it’s right in front of him. He suggested that from there, Babar could decide to cut or play a different shot.
Babar’s struggles have led to a dry spell, with no international hundreds since August 2023 and no Test hundreds in the past three years. Critics have pointed out his lack of impact in recent ICC tournaments, like the Champions Trophy, where he only scored 87 runs across two innings.
— PACE is PACE Yar (@PACEisPACEYar) March 17, 2025
Babar’s been in and out of the Pakistan team as he tries to find his form, and he was dropped from the T20I squad heading to New Zealand, where they currently trail 2-0 in a five-match series.
In another note, former captain Shahid Afridi questioned the decision to drop Mohammad Rizwan as T20I skipper, suggesting he should have been given more time in the role just like Babar had. Afridi pointed out, “The board needs a permanent chairman. Babar Azam was given plenty of chances as captain, but why was Mohammad Rizwan only given six months?”
