Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has defended under-fire batter Babar Azam amid growing criticism over his recent performances, describing him as one of the country’s biggest cricketing superstars while highlighting the lack of support around him.
Speaking on cricket podcast Unplugged, hosted by Shubhankar Mishra, Waqar was asked to name Pakistan’s last cricketing superstar, with the host suggesting former fast bowler Mohammad Amir as a possible contender.
However, the legendary pacer named Babar and Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi as the country’s leading stars.
“Babar Azam is a superstar, Shaheen Afridi is a superstar,” Waqar said.
The host subsequently questioned Babar’s match-winning impact, arguing that although the former Pakistan captain boasts impressive statistics, his performances have not produced as many memorable victories as those of previous generations.
Mishra cited several Pakistan greats, including Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi, whose match-winning performances remain memorable even among Indian cricket fans.
Responding to the criticism, Waqar argued that Babar’s biggest challenge has been the absence of an equally strong supporting cast in Pakistan’s batting lineup.
“The sad part for Babar is that he is alone. If there were four or five other big names alongside him, things might have been different, and there would have been less pressure on him,” Waqar explained.
The former Pakistan head coach emphasised that the expectations placed on Babar are considerably higher because the team’s batting fortunes often depend heavily on his performances.
“If there is only one batter on whom the entire team relies, naturally the pressure on him increases,” he said.
Waqar Younis drew comparisons with Pakistan’s formidable batting lineup of the 1990s, pointing out that the team had several established players capable of winning matches.
“When you remember Pakistan’s team from the 1990s, you can name all six batters in the top order. But today, apart from Babar, how many Pakistani batters can you name?” he questioned.
According to Waqar, the lack of established batting stars has created an additional burden on Babar, who must contend with the fear that the team could struggle if he fails to deliver.
Meanwhile, Mishra compared Babar’s situation with that of Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, suggesting that the latter also carried his team’s batting responsibilities during the early 1990s.
However, Waqar disagreed with the comparison, arguing that Tendulkar had experienced players around him throughout different stages of his international career.
“Sachin was never alone. Early on, he had Sanjay Manjrekar and [Navjot Singh] Sidhu Paaji alongside him,” Waqar explained.
He further pointed out that as Tendulkar developed into one of the world’s leading batters, India assembled a formidable lineup featuring Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag.
Waqar also highlighted Babar’s remarkable consistency during the early stages of his career, suggesting that his immediate success had created exceptionally high expectations among supporters.
“Babar’s issue is that he performed so well right from the beginning of his career that expectations became extremely high,” he said.
The former pacer compared the scrutiny surrounding Babar with the pressure faced by Indian batting great Virat Kohli.
“If Virat Kohli fails in one or two matches, the whole country starts saying that he is finished,” Waqar remarked.
He explained that when a player consistently scores runs and raises supporters’ expectations, even a brief dip in form can attract disproportionate criticism.
Notably, Babar Azam has faced increasing scrutiny over his recent batting performances despite maintaining an impressive overall record in ODI cricket.
The former Pakistan captain has accumulated 6,744 runs at an average of 52.68, including 20 centuries, placing him level with Saeed Anwar for the most ODI hundreds by a Pakistani batter.
However, Babar has managed just 243 runs in his last seven ODI appearances at an average of 34.71, registering only one half-century during that period.
