Shoaib Akhtar Blasts Babar Azam, Referencing Virat Kohli as an Example After Pakistan's Champions Trophy Defeat

Pakistan's recent loss to India in the Champions Trophy 2025 has triggered heated controversy among the cricket world. The defeat placed Pakistan on the brink of an early elimination from a tournament they were hosting. Critics and former players have made their voices heard, but among the harshest of criticisms were made by former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. He publicly chastised Babar Azam, questioning his captaincy, unfavorably comparing him to India's Virat Kohli.

Pakistan's ICC Tournaments Struggles Continue

Pakistan has been struggling against India in ICC tournaments ever since their historic victory over India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. The team has not registered an ODI win against their arch-rivals since then. The latest defeat is just fueling the fire, with Pakistan now in a do-or-die situation to stay in the contest.

Babar Azam, who was once hyped to be the next big thing in international cricket and was likened to Kohli on several occasions, has come under heavy fire for his abject failure. His 23-run knock in the match turned out to be too short to leave an impression, and the pressure on him has piled up. 

Shoaib Akhtar's Scathing Criticism

Shoaib Akhtar was not hesitant to comment on the performance and overall contribution as a cricketer of Babar Azam. In an interview on PTV Sports, he pointed out the stark difference between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli and attributed it to the cricketers they aspire to.

"Let us take Virat Kohli for a moment. Whom is he idolizing? Sachin Tendulkar. He has made 100 hundreds, and Virat is attempting to walk in his shoes," Akhtar further stated. "Now, whose idol is Babar Azam? Tuk tuk. You have chosen the wrong idols and your method is incorrect. You were a cheat from the beginning."

Akhtar’s words reflect the growing frustration among Pakistan cricket fans, who expected Babar to elevate Pakistan cricket the way Kohli did for India. However, as the years have passed, the gap between the two cricketers has only widened, with Kohli cementing his place among cricket’s legends while Babar continues to struggle in crucial matches.

Virat Kohli’s Gesture Towards Babar Azam

Despite the criticism, the cricketing fraternity has witnessed time and again instances of respect being displayed by the two players for each other. Even prior to the Champions Trophy clash with stakes high on the line, Virat Kohli was seen offering a friendly pat on Babar Azam's back. The gesture, which occurred at the Dubai International Stadium, went viral in no time, with everyone appreciating the sportsmanship displayed by the Indian batting genius.

The two batsmen, whose careers are constantly compared with each other, met briefly before the match. That was much the same way they had when Babar Azam had offered Kohli words of encouragement in 2022 at the time Indian cricketer was going through a lean period. Then Kohli had struggled to perform with the bat when India toured England. Babar had posted a photo of the two of them with the caption, "This too shall pass." Kohli had responded, thanking Babar and wishing him all the best for the future.

Pakistan's Champions Trophy Campaign in Trouble

The situation for Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy is grim. The team, led by Mohammad Rizwan, is now in a critical situation of being knocked out of the group itself. They had already suffered a defeat against New Zealand by 60 runs in their tournament opener, which made this game against India a do-or-die affair.

Winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first. But their batting lineup couldn't withstand India's bowling attack. Though pacers Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana were wicketless in their early spells, Hardik Pandya provided the breakthrough by dismissing Babar Azam in the ninth over. Babar scored 23 runs off 26 balls with five boundaries before being caught. Imam-ul-Haq accompanied him back to the pavilion shortly, out run by a straight hit from Axar Patel after scoring just 10 runs off 26 balls.

India's Solid Start to the Tournament

Whilst Pakistan are struggling to keep their heads above water, India have kicked off their Champions Trophy campaign with a bang. They beat their first opponents, Bangladesh, by six wickets and did it again against Pakistan. Virat Kohli, as usual, was the architect of the victory, confirming why he remains one of the best in the world.

What's Next for Pakistan?

Their backs to the wall, Pakistan are now forced to win all of their remaining games if they want to have a hope of qualifying for the semi-finals. But their current form and leadership concerns suggest that it won't be easy.

The sharp criticism by Shoaib Akhtar is the reflection of what most people believe, that Babar Azam, despite his talent, has not grown to become a leader who can lead Pakistan to win on the world stage. Will Babar put his critics at rest and lead Pakistan to a turn-around or not remains to be seen, but time is quickly running out.

As Pakistan's performance in Champions Trophy 2025 is being watched, Babar Azam is the one in the spotlight for the moment. He will need to prove that he is more than just a potential player. Otherwise, the harassment and comparisons with Kohli will only become harder.