 "Ex-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja shares Babar Azam’s honest confession: 'He expressed his frustration'")
Former Pakistan captain and ex-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja has revealed a candid conversation he recently had with Babar Azam, where the star batter openly spoke about how frustrated he felt with the non-stop criticism around him.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramiz said he recently met Babar at a cafe, where the former Pakistan skipper expressed how the harsh comments about his form and place in the team had started affecting him mentally.
Ramiz reveals candid chat he had with Babar
According to Ramiz, the Pakistan batter was upset with the constant outside noise, especially since he had been struggling for big scores for a long period. “I met him recently in a cafe, and he expressed his frustration over the criticism and personal comments regarding his place in the team and his performances,” Ramiz said.
Ramiz said he advised Babar to stay patient, remain calm, and not let the outside noise disturb his focus. “Just continue to do what you have done, be patient, show restraint and don’t react to outside noises. Because as a player your only job is to perform on the field,” he added.
Babar, who faced a long lean patch that lasted more than two years and 83 international innings, finally returned to form last week. He scored a century against Sri Lanka in the Rawalpindi ODI. He also finished as the joint-highest run-getter in the series with 165 runs in three matches, helping Pakistan sweep the series 3-0.
Babar was made the captain of the national team across formats in 2021 after Ramiz became the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, due to poor form and lack of results, he was removed from captaincy in 2023 after the ODI World Cup debacle, where Pakistan failed to reach the knockouts.
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View AllHe was later reappointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. But Pakistan once again had a disappointing campaign and were knocked out in the league stage. Babar was then sacked for the second time, and he even lost his place in the T20 team after that.
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