Babar Azam, Pakistan’s captain and star batter, faced heavy criticism after a dismal performance in the first T20I against South Africa at Durban. Dismissed for a duck by 18-year-old debutant Kwena Maphaka, Babar Azam became a target of trolls on Twitter and other social platforms, with many fans questioning his recent form and leadership.
Babar’s innings lasted just four balls as he nicked a delivery from Maphaka, who recently joined South Africa’s squad after completing his school exams. The young pacer made headlines for dismissing one of the world’s top batters, and the dismissal fueled a wave of ridicule online.
One viral tweet read: “Kwena Maphaka, an 18-year-old IPL prospect, dismissed Babar Azam for a duck. Imagine being this bad!” Another quipped: “Babar Azam spent 15 minutes adjusting the sight-screen, survived a run-out, and still got out for a duck. Peak unpredictability!”
A Continued Lean Patch for Babar Azam
Babar’s recent numbers paint a worrying picture for Pakistan fans. In the T20I series against Australia before this tour, he managed just 47 runs across three matches. This underwhelming display has further amplified concerns about his reliability in the shortest format.
In T20Is overall, Babar’s career stats show both his highs and his struggles. Since his debut in 2016, he has played 127 matches and scored 4,192 runs at an average of 39.92 and a strike rate of 129.06. While he has three centuries and 36 fifties to his name, the seven ducks he has accumulated are increasingly becoming a talking point, especially as they often come in critical moments for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Chase Falters
Babar’s early dismissal was a major blow to Pakistan’s chase of 184. Despite Mohammad Rizwan’s 74 off 62 balls and a fiery 31 off 15 by Saim Ayub, Pakistan fell 11 runs short of the target. Fans and analysts alike were quick to point out that, as the captain and key batter, Babar’s failure at the top of the order left Pakistan with too much to do.
Twitter Trolls Babar Azam: Check These Media Roasts
Social media platforms were flooded with memes and criticism targeting Babar. One post mockingly said: “Everything in life is unpredictable except Babar Azam’s performance with the bat.” Others called for changes in the team formation and questioned his ability to handle pressure on the big stage.
With Pakistan trailing 1-0 in the series, Babar Azam will need to bounce back quickly to silence his critics and restore his reputation as one of the game’s premier T20I batters. The second T20I presents an opportunity for redemption, but the spotlight will remain firmly on the under-fire ex-skipper.
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