Former Pakistan and Indian cricketers criticized have Babar Azam's captaincy in the Asia Cup 2023 Group A clash between India and Pakistan.

Shoaib Akhtar believes that Pakistan's fast bowlers had performed exceptionally well and suggested that Pakistan should have stuck to using pacers with short, two-over spells from one end, while employing spin from the other end.

"Pakistan fast bowling has done wonders. Pakistan should have continued with pacers with short two-over spells from one end and operate spin from only one end. Pakistan should have bowled India out inside 40 overs itself. Pakistan should have capitalized after reducing India to 66-4. Babar Azam needs to be more aggressive as a captain," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra, a former Indian cricketer turned commentator, also chimed in on Azam's captaincy choices. Chopra felt that Azam missed a crucial opportunity by not utilizing his seamers effectively and asserted that Pakistan should have been more aggressive in their approach to bowl India out much earlier.

"Babar Azam got his spinners to bowl 21 overs when the opposing team was 66/4. You had 30 overs of fast bowling. I think he missed a huge trick and because of that, he allowed India to prosper," Chopra said.

"It's good, we don't mind, but Pakistan should actually look inwards and say that there was a captaincy error. The fist was closed and you opened it and when you try to grab it again, it becomes slightly late," he added.

Chopra further elaborated that Pakistan had "missed a trick" and should have maintained a continuous barrage of fast bowling from one end if they had the upper hand in the game. He believed that by doing so, Pakistan could have pressured India into a much lower total, potentially finishing the match within 37 overs.

Former India great, Sunil Gavaskar, was also baffled by Babar’s bowling changes.

“I think the bowling changes didn't make any sense because if you have three bowlers, the pace bowlers have taken the early wickets, you want to keep at least one ongoing from one end. I know that you can't really go through long spells, but one person could have been bowling from one end and Shadab or Nawaz from the other end," Gavaskar said.

On the other hand, Irfan Pathan, another former Indian cricketer, highlighted Pakistan's shortage of pacers in conditions favorable for fast-bowling.

"21 overs 133 runs from spinners without a wicket was game changer. If India were bowling and Pakistan were 66/4 India would have kept fast bowling on as they had a liberty of 4 fast bowlers unlike Pakistan who were playing with 3. So I thought Team India would have been more disappointed with the rain after scoring above par score on that pitch which had variable bounce," Irfan Pathan posted on his social media account.

Shaheen, who finished with 4-35, and fellow quick Haris Rauf reduced India to 66-4 before a fightback by Ishan Kishan, who made 82, and Hardik Pandya (87) lifted India to 266 all out.

New-ball-partner Naseem Shah did not get his first wicket until the 45th over but then struck twice more to wrap up the India innings in 48.5 overs.

Rain meant Pakistan were unable to bat and the points shared.

It was enough to put Pakistan into the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup and India will join them if they avoid defeat to Nepal at the same ground on Monday.