[EXCLUSIVE] "Babar Azam has some problems, maybe mental problems or maybe some family problems": Shahid Hashmi

[Ball Blazer]

In this exclusive interview, veteran Pakistani journalist Shahid Hashmi joins PakPassion for a detailed discussion on the critical issues facing Pakistan cricket. Hashmi offers his expert analysis on the T20 future of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the selection puzzles ahead of the World Cup, the PCB's takeover of the Multan Sultans, the search for a red-ball coach, and the state of cricket relations with India.

Key revelations include:

•⁠ ⁠⁠Babar Azam's Struggles: "He has some problems. Maybe mental problems. Maybe some family problems." – Hashmi notes that Babar is resting while playing in the Big Bash League (BBL) as part of a reciprocal arrangement between the PCB and Cricket Australia.

•⁠ ⁠⁠Unpredictable Selection: "You cannot rule out anything in Pakistan cricket." – Hashmi highlights Usman Khan and Abdul Samad’s inclusion, viewing Samad as a key middle-order prospect. He also discusses the competition between Shadab Khan and Fahim Ashraf for a T20 World Cup all-rounder spot.

•⁠ ⁠⁠Rizwan's Captaincy Chance: "Maybe Rizwan is announced as the captain for the Pakistan team." – He suggests that Rizwan could still force his way back into the team for the World Cup, potentially even as captain

•⁠ ⁠⁠Multan Sultans Fallout: "PCB will run Multan Sultans, which is a sad thing." – While acknowledging Tarin's passion and the franchise's success, he notes that communication breakdowns and public grievances led to this situation. He expresses hope that Tarin might return to the PSL by potentially buying one of the two upcoming new franchises.

•⁠ ⁠⁠Coaching Vacancy: "Pakistan should definitely have one of these gentlemen as red-ball coach." – With the red-ball coaching position vacant, Hashmi identifies Mike Hesson, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Hafeez as strong candidates.

•⁠ ⁠⁠India-Pakistan Dynamic: "The best answer from Pakistan's side is to beat India." – The conversation ends with the ongoing "bad blood" and political tension affecting cricket between India and Pakistan. Hashmi argues that while politics remains a barrier, the financial necessity of India-Pakistan matches for world cricket means they will continue to be a priority for international bodies.

Watch full interview with Saj here:

 

[Sunny_majoka]

He is a mental midget, one of the biggest mistake of PCB to make him captain

 

[pakistani pride]

He is a mental midget, one of the biggest mistake of PCB to make him captain

This and he is lazy, just look at him and tell me does he look like a pro athlete?

 

[topspin]

He is a mental midget, one of the biggest mistake of PCB to make him captain

100%. You can see from a million miles away just by looking at his chehra that he is a mental midget and no leader of men.

He was never going to last as captain, so how can someone who's mentally so frail going to recover from losing captaincy?

 

[Ball Blazer]

@Rana
What do you think?

 

[GOSH11]

100%. You can see from a million miles away just by looking at his chehra that he is a mental midget and no leader of men.

He was never going to last as captain, so how can someone who's mentally so frail going to recover from losing captaincy?

Never captaincy material, that was laughable that he was even given a go.

The bigger tragedy, is the waste of the platform he had to become a truly world class batsman, he was averaging mid 40's in tests, 55+ in odi and 40+ in T20 but has regressed! Not even stagnated but bloody regressed! That too, in his prime!! Ridiculous!

 

[Rana]

@Rana
What do you think?

Let’s ask @KingOfPakBreakfast who gets touchy and emotional whenever I mention Babar.

 

[pakistani pride]

Never captaincy material, that was laughable that he was even given a go.

The bigger tragedy, is the waste of the platform he had to become a truly world class batsman, he was averaging mid 40's in tests, 55+ in odi and 40+ in T20 but has regressed! Not even stagnated but bloody regressed! That too, in his prime!! Ridiculous!99% soft runs even in his so called prime. Mentioned this so many times, ODIs his so called best format. his best score in ODI just check how he started that innings. in tests he had a good run but mainly due to absolute flat tracks on the roads of all roads.

99% “soft” runs in his so called prime. This has been mentioned countless times. ODIs, supposedly his best format, hardly backed that up.Just look at his highest score and how that innings started. In Tests, he had a decent run, but much of it came on flat, road-like tracks that made batting ridiculously easy.

 

[shaz619]

But why is this preventing him from belting the ball over the boundary

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

As a neutral indian fan....a good batsman...easy on the eye, has some fantastic strokes....a guy who could have become really great/excellent...somehow his own timid nature or lack to put in the hard yards or a lot of this was the 'naya Kohli' 'super 5' 'king Azam hype by Pak media in response to King Kohli' did him no favours and to a certain extent i do sympathize with him -

somehow he was marked out to be Pak's response to Kohli ....
much like in the 90's - Inzi bhai was tasked for duplicating Sachin and to be fair- he succeded....

 

[Sunny_majoka]

100%. You can see from a million miles away just by looking at his chehra that he is a mental midget and no leader of men.

He was never going to last as captain, so how can someone who's mentally so frail going to recover from losing captaincy?

Moreover, he still takes decisions based on his father’s advice. Almost all of his captaincy decisions appeared to be orders coming from his father—quite comical, really.

 

[topspin]

Moreover, he still takes decisions based on his father’s advice. Almost all of his captaincy decisions appeared to be orders coming from his father—quite comical, really.

Or from Darren Sammy when he's captaining PZ

 

[Sachin fan]

much like in the 90's - Inzi bhai was tasked for duplicating Sachin and to be fair- he succeded....

Lol, sure

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

Let’s ask @KingOfPakBreakfast who gets touchy and emotional whenever I mention Babar.

Weird post this (how surprising). You may be as fixated w/ me as you are w/ Riz Babar. I’m good, thanks.

Funnily enough, I don’t seem to get ‘touchy’ and ‘emotional’ with other posters who mention and objectively criticise Babar. Maybe it’s because they behave like human beings when doing so, instead of whatever you are.

 

[TheSultan]

This and he is lazy, just look at him and tell me does he look like a pro athlete?

He has some of the worst traits anyone would look for in a captain.

Mental midget
Weak minded
Weak physically
Zero presence
Even when his batting had potential, he rarely ever gave the impression of someone that can punish the opposition
Gormless
Very low cricketing IQ

Inzi was similar in some aspects (apart from the batting where I rate his batting IQ very high), but at least he was BIG and looked like a commanding figure.

 

[RidiculousMan]

He is a mental midget, one of the biggest mistake of PCB to make him captain

Yes he's the biggest batter (counting all formats) to come out of Pakistan in the last decade.

Tells you how scarce batting talent is in Pakistan and how poorly Pakistan Cricket as a whole deal with the batting talent.

 

[pakistani pride]

Yes he's the biggest batter (counting all formats) to come out of Pakistan in the last decade.

Tells you how scarce batting talent is in Pakistan and how poorly Pakistan Cricket as a whole deal with the batting talent.

In TESTS he has achieved nothing at all. In ODIs FZ clears him easily. In T20s he bats like he is playing ODIs.

 

[Bewal Express]

He looks overweight. Not by much by enough to slow down his fluency. Career is on the line- he is lucky to be back in the T20 team

 

[pakistani pride]

He looks overweight. Not by much by enough to slow down his fluency. Career is on the line- he is lucky to be back in the T20 team

The point is, he does not care. I mean the so called superstar looks like a 35 year old uncle. The worst combo skinny with a tummy. In no way he looks like a pro athlete. its embarrassing.

 

[srh8119]

Not just him, all of his dost yaar are in the same category more or less of declining before what should have been their peak phases
Naseem, Shaheen, Rizwan, Rauf, Shadab etc

They all got too comfortable and forgot they are the top athletes and not just some random salaried workers, just showing up on the job.

 

[Bewal Express]

The point is, he does not care. I mean the so called superstar looks like a 35 year old uncle. The worst combo skinny with a tummy. In no way he looks like a pro athlete. its embarrassing.

I agree. His body shape isnt what you want for a guy that is struggling. And doesn't need that much work.

 

[hur rizvi]

He’s going to weaken the pct in this wc like yk in 2015

 

[hur rizvi]

Babar’s time at least as a t20 batter is up

 

[Ball Blazer]

His problem seems to be the extreme haters and criticism. So maybe the mental problems part is right.

 

[CricVet]

His problem seems to be the extreme haters and criticism. So maybe the mental problems part is right.

He is so touchy feely that EXTREME hate starts affecting his batting? Really - that is the next excuse, while his absence from domestic cricket to sort out his issues had nothing to do with it?

He is not a growing kid even. EVERY professional has to take a dig when down and should be able to cope and soak.

 

[Rana]

What a bs excuse!

So he’s striking it an 100 in T20s and 70 in ODIs because his family is forcing him to marry his cousin?

@topspin @shaz619 @emranabbas @TheSultan

 

[topspin]

What a bs excuse!

So he’s striking it an 100 in T20s and 70 in ODIs because his family is forcing him to marry his cousin?

@topspin @shaz619 @emranabbas @TheSultan

Hear me out bro.

He’s never been his own man. You have to remember mentally he’s like a child in a grown man’s body (albeit a small one).

This is why Peshawar Zalmi could not trust him to make his own decisions without consulting Darren Sammy on the field during games.

If this story is true, this would destroy him mentally. He never recovered after losing captaincy but this would be a dagger in the heart.

IK and Misbah completely disregarded his captaincy credentials and the fact that he’s a man child, who was never going to be fit and ready to lead the national side.

Thank you IK and Misbah for initiating Babar’s downward spiral.

If it was up to me I would release IK and put Misbah inside that same cell instead for everything he’s done in destroying Pakistan cricket.

 

[CricVet]

Hear me out bro.

He’s never been his own man. You have to remember mentally he’s like a child in a grown man’s body (albeit a small one).

This is why Peshawar Zalmi could not trust him to make his own decisions without consulting Darren Sammy on the field during games.

If this story is true, this would destroy him mentally. He never recovered after losing captaincy but this would be a dagger in the heart.

IK and Misbah completely disregarded his captaincy credentials and the fact that he’s a man child, who was never going to be fit and ready to lead the national side.

Thank you IK and Misbah for initiating Babar’s downward spiral.

If it was up to me I would release IK and put Misbah inside that same cell instead for everything he’s done in destroying Pakistan cricket.

I as well disagreed with some of Imran's personal opinions, but him being in Jail is not funny. HOWVER, your comment about switching him with Misbah is gold

 

[shaz619]

What a bs excuse!

So he’s striking it an 100 in T20s and 70 in ODIs because his family is forcing him to marry his cousin?

@topspin @shaz619 @emranabbas @TheSultan

Basically, when he is batting, he’s always seeing his cousin standing by the edge of the boundary, this explains his S/R. Mans got PTSD from the village ashwariyah rai tormenting Babar , he’s having nightmares of waking up after the first night with no feet - who’s going to kick the ball on PCT’s behinds now

 

[shaz619]

We deserve an Olympic Gold Medal when it comes to making excuses, it’s always something else, or somebody else or the neighbours kutta, but ME? I am doing nothing at all, it’s just a series of bad lucks who have combined together to come for me like the Megazord in the Power Rangers.

 

[shaz619]

Hear me out bro.

He’s never been his own man. You have to remember mentally he’s like a child in a grown man’s body (albeit a small one).

This is why Peshawar Zalmi could not trust him to make his own decisions without consulting Darren Sammy on the field during games.

If this story is true, this would destroy him mentally. He never recovered after losing captaincy but this would be a dagger in the heart.

IK and Misbah completely disregarded his captaincy credentials and the fact that he’s a man child, who was never going to be fit and ready to lead the national side.

Thank you IK and Misbah for initiating Babar’s downward spiral.

If it was up to me I would release IK and put Misbah inside that same cell instead for everything he’s done in destroying Pakistan cricket.

Misbah in that cell instead of IK?



Am going to sleep very well tonight with that image in mind