"First understand cricket," Imran Nazir defends Babar Azam, hits back at critics

Former Pakistan cricketer, Imran Nazir, comes out in support of former Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, labeling him as the world's best player and urging critics to first understand the intricacies of cricket before passing judgment.

In a recent interview with a local news channel, Nazir emphasized Babar's unique combination of technical prowess, cricketing skills, and personal character, asserting that Azam embodies the essence of what it means to be a cricketer.

"For those who criticize Babar Azam, I would say, at least understand cricket first. He is the world's best player, and I believe that in Pakistan, Babar is the player who, in terms of technique, as a cricketer, and as a personality embodies what it means to be a cricketer. A team doesn't rely solely on one player; there are 10 other players who also contribute. He is doing his part; what about the rest?" Imran Nazir said.

Highlighting the importance of teamwork, the 42-year-old argued that blaming a single player for the team's performance is unjust, especially when the entire team is not performing up to expectations.

"They say teamwork, how a team works together, and it's not just one player's teamwork. When the entire team is not doing anything, you can't blame Babar as much as you want by lifting him, but now I also see that everyone is behind him, why don't you say anything to the other players? He is making Pakistan proud, the rest of the world praises him, considers him a player, but here we sideline him and bring someone else in." he said.

On November 15th, 2023, the 29-year-old Babar Azam had stepped down from captaincy in all formats after a meeting with then Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf.

Following Azam's decision, the PCB appointed Shan Masood as the Test captain of the Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team, while Shaheen Shah Afridi was named the T20I captain. The captain for the ODI format is yet to be announced.