Shahid Afridi uses Virat Kohli's analogy to school Babar Azam after Pakistan's World Cup debacle

Pakistan's 2023 World Cup path has changed drastically. After four straight losses and off-field issues, they revived their campaign with a convincing seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in Kolkata. Things improved when South Africa defeated New Zealand. Because of this, Pakistan now controls its competition fate. Pakistan might reach the semis. They must dominate New Zealand and England in their next two games. The run rate must also be higher than New Zealand's. The upcoming contests will determine their World Cup fate.

3 things you need to know

• India is currently at the top of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 table 
• Pakistan are currently 5th on the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 table 
• Pakistan beat Bangladesh in their last match

Also Read: Sri Lanka's Qualification Scenario Explained Ahead Of IND Vs SL World Cup Match 

Babar Azam’s performance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 has raised questions

The performance of Babar Azam in the World Cup 2023 has certainly sparked some fascinating concerns. He came into the tournament as Pakistan's captain with great hopes, but his form has been fairly erratic. He has three half-centuries from seven outings, but considering his reputation, there were higher hopes.

What's more surprising is that Pakistan has lost all of the World Cup matches in which Babar Azam has scored 50 runs. He hit 50 against India, 74 against Afghanistan, and another half-century against South Africa, but Pakistan lost all three games.

In comparison, Babar's scores in Pakistan's three tournament victories over the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have been noticeably lower - 5, 10, and 9, respectively. It's a strange circumstance in which the team appears to succeed even when its top batter does not score.

Also Read: 'I Will Become Bad Captain': Rohit Sharma Predicts Consequences If India's WC

Shahid Afridi teaches Babar Azam by using an analogy from Virat Kohli

With Babar Azam's performance, Shahid Afridi highlights a major concern in Pakistan. Babar's innings-ending approach seems to follow a pattern, even though no player can determine a game.

Babar has struggled to score in big games. His withdrawal from the India game was critical since Pakistan's innings crumbled. He scored 74 against Afghanistan but couldn't accelerate to boost Pakistan's tally. His modest strike rate saw him out after hitting his half-century against South Africa. The pattern repeated.

Afridi advised Babar to emulate Indian batsmen like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, who stay at the crease to win games, emphasizing the importance of consistency and leadership. If Pakistan can parlay great starts into game-winning performances, their World Cup campaign may alter. Talking on  SAMAA TV, Shahid Afridi said:

"Babar Azam ka run run karna alag cheez hai lekin Babar Azam ke score se match jeetna alag hai. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul wagera kya karte hai? Woh apne run bhi karte hai, balls bhi khelte hai aur apne team ko jita ke bhi ate hai. (There is a distinction between Babar scoring runs and Babar scoring runs in support of a successful cause. Consider the actions of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. They ensure the team's victory by scoring runs, consuming deliveries, and doing so in order to score.)

Pakistan will face New Zealand in their next match which will be played on October 4, 2023, at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.