Danish Kaneria Criticizes Babar Azam and Pakistan’s Performance in ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Babar Azam’s Struggles in High-Pressure Matches
Danish Kaneria recently took a swipe at Babar Azam for his poor performance in high-pressure matches against top teams following Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Kaneria pointed out that Azam tends to struggle when facing stronger opponents, only managing to score against weaker teams like Zimbabwe.
In their initial group matches, Pakistan faced back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India, leading to their elimination from the tournament. Despite scoring 64 runs against New Zealand and 23 runs against India, Babar Azam faced criticism for his slow approach, especially during the match against New Zealand where he took 90 balls to score 64 runs while chasing a target of 321.
Many former players and analysts have raised concerns about Babar Azam’s ability to perform in crucial moments against top teams. Kaneria echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of proving oneself against strong opponents in major tournaments.
Criticism of Pakistan’s Batting Line-Up
Aside from targeting Babar Azam, Danish Kaneria also criticized Pakistan’s overall batting line-up, citing a lack of depth. He singled out Saud Shakeel as the only player with a solid technique in the team’s batting line-up and expressed doubts about Mohammad Rizwan’s recent form, noting that his performance has been below par.
Kaneria was not surprised by Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, deeming it as a predictable outcome due to the team’s batting deficiencies. He highlighted the lack of depth and inconsistency in the batting order, pointing out that only a few players occasionally make significant contributions.
Accusations of Favoritism and Poor Selection in PCB
In addition to critiquing the team’s performance, Danish Kaneria also slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for favoritism and poor selection practices that he believes contributed to the team’s failure in the tournament. He accused the PCB of rewarding mediocrity and selecting players based on personal relationships rather than merit.
Kaneria called for stricter accountability within the cricket setup, urging the board to make decisions based on performance rather than personal connections. He emphasized the importance of creating a team based on skill and merit rather than friendship, warning that without significant changes, Pakistan will continue to struggle on the international stage.
Overall, Danish Kaneria’s criticisms shed light on the challenges faced by the Pakistan cricket team, particularly in high-stakes tournaments like the ICC Champions Trophy. As the team looks to regroup and improve, addressing issues within the batting line-up and ensuring transparent selection processes will be crucial for future success.
