Babar Azam has once again set social media abuzz with a blunt and colorful response during a PSL 2026 press conference. Addressing recurring criticisms of his T20 strike rate and shot selection, the Peshawar Zalmi captain delivered a viral “banger” that firmly defended his methodical approach to the game.
Viral Comment: “Muh Utha Ke Shots Nahi Khel Sakte”
Following Peshawar Zalmi’s 24-run win over Multan Sultans on Monday, April 13, 2026, Babar Azam was asked if he had plans to work on more aggressive, “modern” T20 shots to boost his scoring rate. His reply was characteristically direct:
“You cannot just blindly swing your bat (aap muhh utha ke shots nahi maar sakte). You have to assess the conditions, the pitch, and the scoreboard. Every day the wicket is not the same, and you cannot play the same way every time. Like on the Karachi wicket on which he made 240, the next day it wasn’t the same and we barely managed to score 180. So, the conditions matter.”
“Every day you won’t get the same pitch, you can’t play the same way, opponents would’ve planned for you. Muh utha kar shots nahi khel sakte (Can’t just start playing shots without giving it a thought). You have to come up with a different game plan every day. If you are batting in the first six overs, then obviously I know I have to utilise (Powerplay). Then you have to build a partnership, take chances, target bowlers,” he asserted.
The comment comes during a season where Babar’s strike rate has been under a microscope.
The Match: While his team posted 196, Babar struggled for rhythm, scoring 18 off 20 balls (a strike rate of 90) before being dismissed. In contrast, teammates Mohammad Haris (38 off 17) and Kusal Mendis (68 off 40) played at a much higher tempo.
The Steve Smith Incident
Babar Azam’s recent experience in the Big Bash League (BBL), where Steve Smith reportedly denied him a single, has also been a talking point in cricketing circles, adding to the narrative around his T20 “limitations.” Earlier in the tournament, Babar also lost his cool when a reporter compared his finishing abilities to Virat Kohli, dismissing the comparison as a “misconception” and asserting that he has finished many matches in the past.