Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is currently facing a challenging period in his Test career, especially with the bat. Since scoring 161 against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022, Babar has struggled to deliver significant performances in the longest format of the game.
In the ongoing Test series against England, Babar’s struggles continued as he managed scores of 30 and 5 in the first and second innings of the opening Test. On a pitch widely considered a “batting paradise,” Babar’s inability to convert starts into big scores has led to mounting criticism from fans and experts alike. This poor run has given rise to unflattering nicknames like “Zimbabar” or “Zimbu,” suggesting that Babar only excels against weaker teams.
Shaheen Afridi’s Alleged Mockery of Babar Azam
Adding to the controversy surrounding Babar’s performance, a video has gone viral showing Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi allegedly mocking his teammate. In the clip, Shaheen is seen repeatedly using the word “Zimbu,” a term often used by fans to criticize Babar.
Shaheen Afridi to Babar Azam " zimbu zimbu zimbu zimbu zimbu " 😂😂 #shaheenafridi || #BabarAzam𓃵 || #PAKvENG || #PAKvsENG || #PakistanCricket $ZAAR pic.twitter.com/20bR0iGIff
— I'm_Jawed (@ImJawed14) October 10, 2024
Although there is no audio in the video, fans speculated that Shaheen was using the nickname to mock Babar. NDTV has been unable to verify if Shaheen indeed used the term or if the video was taken out of context. The incident has raised eyebrows as there have been reports of a possible rift between the two players, particularly after Shaheen was replaced by Babar as the captain of the Pakistan T20 side ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Babar, however, has since stepped down from the role.
Pakistan’s Struggles Against England
While off-field issues between Babar and Shaheen have gained attention, Pakistan’s performance on the field against England has been equally concerning. In the first Test of the series in Multan, Pakistan found themselves in a difficult position, trailing by 267 runs after England declared their innings at 823-7, powered by Harry Brook’s 317 and Joe Root’s 262.
Pakistan’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure, leaving them at 152-6 by the end of the day, still 115 runs short of avoiding an innings defeat. With the final day ahead, Pakistan faced an uphill battle to salvage anything from the match.
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