Babar Azam was criticised after Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite being the host nation, Pakistan was eliminated early after consecutive defeats to New Zealand and India, while their match against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain.
Babar faced backlash for his slow-paced half-century against New Zealand and struggled to impact the crucial match against India, finishing the tournament with just 87 runs in two innings.
Despite Pakistan’s poor performance, former player and coach Mohsin Khan made a bold statement, drawing a comparison between Babar and Virat Kohli. Notably, Kohli sealed India’s victory over Pakistan with a match-winning boundary, bringing up his 51st ODI century.
Speaking to ARY News, Mohsin strongly dismissed any comparison between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam .”Let me be clear—Virat Kohli is nothing when compared to Babar Azam; he is zero. But that’s not the main issue. The real problem is Pakistan cricket, which is completely ruined. There is no planning, proper strategy, merit, or accountability at all,” he said.
With 133 runs in the tournament so far, including a century, Kohli’s form has been impressive, making Mohsin’s remarks surprising to many.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam criticized the decision to push Babar into an opening role, arguing that it was a tactical mistake. “Why would you send him to open? That’s not his natural position. A No. 3 batter is the backbone of the lineup, and that’s where your best player should be. The coaches should have instructed him to stay at that position, anchor the innings, and aim for a century.
“If he had done that, and another batter chipped in with a half-century, the team could have easily posted close to 300 runs. That’s the approach they should have taken. Even Babar should have stood his ground and refused to change his batting position. I have no idea who convinced him to open, but it was a poor decision,” Alam remarked.
Pakistan has faced intense scrutiny since their Champions Trophy campaign, with growing pressure on Mohammad Rizwan. Reports suggest that he could be removed from his position soon.