Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam recently went viral after aggressively tossing a fan’s phone that breached security for a selfie during a President’s Trophy match. The incident, occurring amid intense scrutiny over his poor batting form, has sparked mixed reactions online regarding his behaviour and stadium security.
Pakistan Test captain and star batter Babar Azam recently went viral on social media after losing his cool when a fan was seeking a selfie during the President Trophy match between Oil & Gas Development Company Limited and State Bank of Pakistan at Diamond Cricket Stadium in Islamabad.
Babar Azam recently returned to domestic cricket after a gap of seven years in the ongoing President Cup, where he scored 12 and 4 against Khan Research Laboratories in Abbottabad, sparking concerns over his poor form. In the first innings of his second outing against State Bank of Pakistan, the 32-year-old was dismissed for 21 off 39 balls.
Before his return to domestic cricket, Babar Azam’s last appearance was in December 2019, when he captained Central Pakistan to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title after defeating Northern by an innings and 16 runs in the final in Karachi.
Also Read: Wasim Akram questions Babar Azam’s captaincy after England series
Babar Azam’s Angry Reaction to Selfie Seeking Goes Viral
As Babar Azam’s performance in his first three outings on his return to domestic cricket after a seven-year hiatus has been put under scrutiny, the Pakistan Test captain encountered yet another security breach at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad.
In a video that went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), Babar Azam was seen fielding for Oil and Gas Development Company Limited when a few spectators breached the security and ran onto the ground to surround him for selfies, completely overwhelming the security protocols at the venue.
However, Babar was visibly frustrated by the mounting pressure, shoving an approaching spectator and aggressively tossing another fan’s phone before the security officials intervened and escorted the fans off the field.
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Given the intense scrutiny over his form and performance, Babar Azam has been subject to intense public debate as cricket pundits analyse whether his technical vulnerabilities in red-ball formats warrant a major shake-up in Pakistan’s long-format batting lineup.
In the recent England Test series, where Babar scored just 97 runs across four innings at an average of 24.25, the veteran batter’s struggles have only intensified calls for a reassessment of Pakistan’s red-ball core.
Fans Split Over Babar Azam’s Angry Reaction
Babar Azam losing his cool after two fans approached for selfies in the middle of the President’s Trophy match between Oil & Gas Development Company Limited and State Bank of Pakistan has sparked mixed reactions on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter).
Taking to their X handles, many fans criticised Babar Azam’s reaction, with some calling it rude and arrogant, while others defended the Pakistan batter, arguing that the repeated security breaches and fans entering the field had pushed him beyond his limits.
However, some pointed out that spectators repeatedly invaded his personal space while he was fielding and during team discussions, while others urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to prevent fans from entering the playing area.
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Babar Azam is expected to return to national duty during the ODI tri-series involving Sri Lanka and England, starting on October 18. However, his place in the T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka is under review as selectors weigh form and squad balance ahead of the upcoming fixtures.
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