Former South African cricket captain AB de Villiers has voiced his support for Pakistan’s star batter, Babar Azam, who is currently facing a tough phase in his career. Despite Babar’s struggles in the recent tri-nation ODI series, de Villiers firmly believes that this challenging period is just temporary and part of the natural cycle for all great players.
De Villiers, who is a cricketing legend himself, commended Babar for his remarkable achievement of being the fastest to score 6,000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs), joining the ranks of fellow South African great, Hashim Amla. This milestone showcases Babar’s exceptional skill and potential as a cricketer.
On his YouTube channel, de Villiers reflected on the pressures of captaincy, suggesting that it may have contributed to Babar’s recent inconsistency, particularly in Test cricket. However, with Mohammad Rizwan now at the helm of the Pakistan team, de Villiers expressed confidence that Babar would be able to focus entirely on his batting, without the added weight of leadership duties.
Sharing personal advice he often gives his own son, de Villiers emphasized the importance of rhythm in batting and focusing on the job at hand. “It’s about maintaining his rhythm and focusing on getting the job done,” de Villiers advised. He further explained that when his son faces form issues, his mantra is simple—”keep scoring runs,” a philosophy that he believes will help Babar regain his top form.
In addition to his encouragement for Babar Azam, de Villiers also lauded the performances of Pakistan’s current captain, Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan’s brilliant form in the tri-nation ODI series, including a match-winning 122 runs against South Africa, was praised by de Villiers as a sign of positive things to come for Pakistan in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 just around the corner, de Villiers’ words offer a hopeful outlook for Pakistan’s cricketing future. The tournament, which begins on February 19, will see Pakistan face New Zealand in the opening match, marking an exciting start to the prestigious event.
