The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be a thrilling tournament, featuring the world’s best cricketers battling for glory. However, Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam faces a growing challenge. His struggles against incoming deliveries were once again highlighted by Wiaan Mulder in a recent match against South Africa. This raises concerns about his form ahead of the big tournament.
- Babar Azam was dismissed lbw by Wiaan Mulder due to his struggles against incoming deliveries.
- Since 2023, he has been bowled or lbw 22 times, the most among Pakistani players.
- Improving footwork and technique is crucial before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
- His performance will significantly impact Pakistan’s success in the tournament.
Babar Azam’s Dismissal: A Recurring Problem
Pakistan needed 353 runs to stay in the tri-nation series. Babar Azam, known for his elegant stroke play, started strong with boundaries in the first over. But a moment of lapse saw him dismissed in the 7th over by South African pacer Wiaan Mulder. The bowler delivered a length ball outside off, which moved back in and trapped Babar lbw. A review confirmed the on-field call, and Babar walked back to the pavilion.
Why Does Babar Struggle Against Incoming Deliveries?
- Backfoot Dependency: Babar prefers playing off the back foot, which helps on bouncy tracks but creates problems on slower pitches like those in Pakistan.
- Foot Movement Issue: When the ball moves back in, he fails to move his feet quickly enough, leading to lbw or bowled dismissals.
- Predictability: Bowlers have studied his weakness and target him with deliveries that nip back in, increasing his chances of dismissal.
Babar Azam’s Struggles Since 2023
The statistics paint a worrying picture. Babar Azam has been dismissed bowled or lbw 22 times since 2023, the most among Pakistani players.
Pakistan Players with Most Bowled/LBW Dismissals Since 2023
This pattern of dismissals raises concerns ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where top teams will exploit this weakness.
| Player | Matches | Dismissals |
|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 21 | 22 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 21 | 21 |
| Abdullah Shafique | 15 | 15 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 12 | 12 |
| Agha Salman | 9 | 10 |
How Can Babar Azam Overcome This Issue?
For Babar to perform well in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, he must adapt his technique and fix his weaknesses.
Key Areas of Improvement
- Footwork Adjustment: He needs to improve foot movement against deliveries that swing or seam back into him.
- Technical Tweaks: Practicing forward defense and covering his stumps can help counter his vulnerability.
- Training Against In-Swingers: Facing bowlers who can move the ball into him will sharpen his reflexes.
Why This Matters for Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Hopes
Pakistan relies heavily on Babar Azam as their batting anchor. If he continues to struggle against incoming deliveries, it could hurt Pakistan’s title ambitions in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Pakistan fans will hope that their star batter can address this flaw and lead the team to glory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Check out the Champions Trophy Schedule, Champions Trophy Live Score, Champions Trophy Squads , Champions Trophy Stats Champions Trophy Tour, Champions Trophy Venues & Champions Trophy Latest News here!
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Matches
Pakistan vs New Zealand - 1st Match, Group A | Bangladesh vs India - 2nd Match, Group A | Afghanistan vs South Africa - 3rd Match, Group B | Australia vs England - 4th Match, Group B | Pakistan vs India - 5th Match, Group A | Bangladesh vs New Zealand - 6th Match, Group A | Australia vs South Africa - 7th Match, Group B | Afghanistan vs England - 8th Match, Group B | Pakistan vs Bangladesh - 9th Match, Group A | Afghanistan vs Australia - 10th Match, Group B | England vs South Africa - 11th Match, Group B | New Zealand vs India - 12th Match, Group A | TBA vs TBA, 1st Semi-Final | TBA vs TBA, 2nd Semi-Final | TBA vs TBA, Final |
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Teams
PAKISTAN | NEW ZEALAND | BANGLADESH | INDIA | AFGHANISTAN | SOUTH AFRICA | AUSTRALIA | ENGLAND
