Asia Cup 2025: Fawad Alam reveals reason behind Babar Azam’s slump

Islamabad: (Trustedpakistan.com) Former Pakistan Test stalwart Fawad Alam has stepped up to defend skipper Babar Azam, arguing that the star batsman’s only misfortune has been the lack of explosive finishers in the lower order – something that Pakistan’s legendary players always had in their arsenal.

The Missing Link in Pakistan’s Batting Order

During a recent sports discussion about the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, Fawad Alam made some pretty interesting observations about what’s really been bothering Pakistan cricket lately. According to the seasoned left-hander, Babar’s so-called “form slump” isn’t really about his batting at all – it’s about what comes after him.

“Yaar, Babar ki batting mein koi kami nahi hai,” Fawad explained during the show. “The real problem is that he doesn’t have those match-finishing types like we used to have back in the day – think Shahid Afridi or Abdul Razzaq who could just change the game in the final overs.”

This observation hits different when you think about it. Those legendary Pakistani sides had this knack of pulling victories out of nowhere, mainly because they had these explosive characters who could smash boundaries for fun when the pressure was on.

Comparing Eras: Then vs Now

Fawad got quite animated when defending Babar’s credentials, especially when people started questioning the effectiveness of Pakistan’s top order combination of Babar and Mohammad Rizwan.

“Dekho bhai, there’s absolutely no question mark over Babar’s ability,” he said with conviction. “The guy has been consistently delivering top-notch performances. His only bad luck – especially over the past two-three years in T20 cricket – is that he hasn’t had those game-changers batting at number 6, 7, or 8.”

The former Test batsman made a compelling case, pointing out that even Pakistan’s greatest players succeeded because they had reliable finishers backing them up. It’s like having a strong foundation but missing the roof, you know?

Technical Superiority and Consistency

What really caught everyone’s attention was when Fawad claimed that technically speaking, Babar might actually be superior to some of Pakistan’s past legends. That’s a bold statement, but he backed it up with some solid reasoning.

“If you look at the technical aspects, Babar’s style isn’t dramatically different from our past greats,” Fawad argued. “But when it comes to consistency and performance statistics, particularly in white-ball cricket, he’s actually better than most.”

The comparison becomes even more interesting when you consider the different eras and playing conditions. Today’s cricket is faster, more analyzed, and frankly more demanding than what previous generations faced.

India’s Dominance and the Asia Cup Challenge

Shifting gears to the broader Asia Cup picture, Fawad didn’t hold back in acknowledging India’s current supremacy. He specifically mentioned Abhishek Sharma, who’s been sitting pretty at the top of ICC’s T20 batting rankings.

“India has got the complete package right now – top 10 bowlers and batters across formats,” he admitted. “They’re definitely the biggest challenge for every other team in this tournament.”

The Pakistan vs India clash is always the highlight of any tournament, and Fawad expects this one to be no different. The rivalry brings out the best (and sometimes worst) in both teams.

The Real Babar Azam Story

Perhaps the most striking comment came when Fawad declared, “Babar Azam is better than most of our legends. His ODI and T20 performances are simply extraordinary. Right now, there’s no bigger player in Pakistan cricket than Babar Azam.”

That’s quite a statement to make, especially given Pakistan’s rich cricketing history. But if you look at the numbers objectively, there’s definitely merit to what Fawad is saying.

The Finishing Touch Pakistan Needs

The core issue Fawad highlighted resonates with many Pakistani cricket fans who’ve been scratching their heads over the team’s recent performances. Having solid top-order batsmen is great, but T20 cricket especially demands those explosive finishers who can take 15-20 runs off a single over when needed.

Back in the day, when guys like Afridi would walk in at number 6 or 7, opposition bowlers would genuinely get nervous. That psychological advantage, combined with actual hitting ability, often made the difference between winning and losing close matches.

Looking Ahead to Asia Cup

With the Asia Cup 2025 around the corner, these discussions become more relevant. Pakistan will need to find that perfect balance between Babar’s consistency and the explosive finishing power that seems to be missing from their current setup.

The tournament will be a real test of whether Pakistan’s current approach can compete with teams like India who seem to have all bases covered. Fawad’s observations might just be the wake-up call Pakistan cricket needed.

Final Thoughts

Fawad Alam’s defense of Babar Azam sheds light on a different perspective of Pakistan cricket’s challenges. Instead of blaming individual players, maybe it’s time to look at the overall team composition and strategy.

After all, cricket has always been a team sport, and even the best players need proper support to shine. Whether Pakistan can address these issues before the Asia Cup remains to be seen, but at least now we know what one former international thinks the real problem is.