Babar Azam's Role Shift Sparks Debate

Babar Azam, once Pakistan's top cricketer, has faced a career shift, notably being assigned a middle-order role for the T20 World Cup 2026. This change has drawn sharp criticism from former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali.

Ali questioned how Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman accepted batting in the middle order, referencing Virat Kohli's decisive exit from captaincy when his preferences weren't met. He suggested Babar should have rejected the No. 4 position.

Conversely, Kamran Akmal disagreed, stating that players cannot dictate their batting positions and risk being sidelined. He argued that when form is lacking, players often accept any role, even batting at No. 8, as seen before the Champions Trophy.