With Sri Lanka batters making merry in Hyderabad on Tuesday, the onus was on Babar Azam to play the captain's knock against Dasun Shanaka and Co. in match No. 8 of the ICC World Cup 2023. Premier batter Kusal Mendis and gloveman Sadeera Samarawickrama slammed centuries against Babar's Pakistan as Sri Lanka registered a massive total of 344-9 in the 50-over contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Rallying behind Pakistan superstar Babar, legendary Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar pinned his hopes on the top-ranked One Day International (ODI) batter to produce a stunning run-chase for the 1992 world champions. Taking to X (formerly known as X) during the innings break, Akhtar shared a video to extend his support to Babar's men. "I’m trusting King Babar !!!,' Akhtar captioned his post on the microblogging site. Akhtar was heavily trolled after Babar failed to live up to expectations in the high-scoring contest between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Akhtar's 'I’m trusting King Babar' video goes viral on X
Babar was dismissed for 10 off 15 balls in the eighth over of Pakistan's innings. The premier batter was outsmarted by Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka, who bagged the jackpot wicket of the Pakistan skipper at Hyderabad. "Missed by 190 is trending in my country," a fan poked fun at Akhtar. "10 runs just because of your trust," another fan added.
{{/usCountry}}Babar was dismissed for 10 off 15 balls in the eighth over of Pakistan's innings. The premier batter was outsmarted by Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka, who bagged the jackpot wicket of the Pakistan skipper at Hyderabad. "Missed by 190 is trending in my country," a fan poked fun at Akhtar. "10 runs just because of your trust," another fan added.
{{/usCountry}}Babar's batting slump at World Cup
Before playing a mediocre knock against Sri Lanka, Babar was dismissed for 5 in Pakistan's World Cup opener against the Netherlands. For the first time in the last five years, Babar has failed to register a 50-plus score in five consecutive One Day International (ODIs). Babar recorded morale-boosting scores of 80 and 90 in the warmup matches against New Zealand and Australia in the lead-up to the ICC World Cup.