Babar Azam’s family issues made public and linked to poor form

Journalist Ejaz Wasim Bakhri has publicly linked Babar Azam's recent dip in batting form to personal and family issues affecting his concentration. Speaking on live television, Bakhri claimed that the former Pakistan captain is dealing with matters away from the pitch that are hurting his game. The comments come after Babar scored only 118 runs across four innings without a half-century in the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series against Sri Lanka and England.

Despite an eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka on October 27, Pakistan topped the tri-series standings to qualify for the final at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 31. Babar posted scores of 45, 34, 10, and 29 during the tournament's group stage. Bakhri argued that resolving these off-field issues could help Babar regain his focus ahead of the upcoming final.