Babar Azam’returns to T20 World Cup The scene sparked a lot of discussion after he hit a slow 15-for-18. Pakistan’s nervous opening win over Netherlands On February 7. A historic upset was narrowly avoided thanks to Pakistan Fahim Ashraf’s explosive late-order batting, Babar’s inability to find spin or boundaries at No. 4 has left fans and pundits questioning his suitability for the modern T20 set-up. As he prepares for his crucial second match against Pakistan USA The pressure on Babar reached boiling point on February 10, when Shastri offered an apparent “first-in-the-making” roadmap to help the superstar rediscover his rhythm before the tournament began.
Ravi Shastri gives direct challenge to Babar Azam ahead of PAK vs USA match in T20 World Cup 2026
Ravi Shastri believes that Babar is currently fighting an internal battle against his reputation rather than as a bowler. Speaking to the ICC Review, Shastri analyzed Babar’s current decline as a product of his tenure, saying: “When you’re at this stage in your career, there’s baggage. There’s a weight of expectation. People expect you to go out there and deliver.”
To counter this, Shastri’s advice was direct and almost reckless: “Go out there and in your first five balls, I don’t care if you get out, but I want you to try to hit a few boundaries. Pick your spot, have good positions, anticipate what the bowler is doing. You’ll feel better and things can change.” By encouraging Babar to potentially sacrifice his own wicket in search of early aggression, Shastri hopes the batter can “break the mental shackles” that have led to his recent “turtle-paced” strike rate.
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T20 World Cup 2026: Shastri’s warning to Babar about timing
Apart from the mental aspect, Shastri emphasized that the modern T20 game, especially the middle-order phase where Babar currently operates, simply does not allow for a “settling in” period. He warned that while Babar had the strength to recover, time was a luxury Pakistan could ill-afford: “He is a quality player. We know he has the experience to adapt very quickly, but he has to do it quickly because the middle passes are a very important period of the game.”
Shastri added, noting that in a tournament of this magnitude, any drop in speed during more than 7-15 blocks can be fatal: “In T20 cricket, unless the conditions are really in favor of the bowlers, you can’t give him much time.” With critics suggesting his place is already in jeopardy, Shastri concluded with a stark reality check for the former captain: “Questions will be asked.” The upcoming clash against USA in Colombo is now seen as a moment of failure to prove that Babar can still match the scoring performance of the world’s elite.
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