Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has played down the heat around Babar Azam, who is currently facing intense criticism for his slow batting in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026.
Faf du Plessis backs Babar Azam amid heavy criticism
Babar Azam is struggling badly in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. In five matches, the former Pakistan captain has managed only 66 runs at an average of 22 and a strike rate of just 115.78. In modern T20 cricket, these numbers are simply not enough.
The game has changed as the teams now attack from the first over in the shorter format of the game. Powerplays see strike rates of 160, 170, and even 200, but Babar has not kept up with that speed. In fact, the right-handed batter now holds an unwanted record.
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Among players who faced more than 200 balls in T20 World Cup powerplays, he has the lowest strike rate, only 86.17. Pakistan coach Mike Hesson has already pushed him down to No. 4, as he is now being used as a middle-order support batter instead of the main attacker.
Someone like Babar—we’ve known him as one of the world’s best players for a very, very long time – Faf du Plessis
Spin bowling has emerged as the biggest nightmare for Babar Azam. Many of his dismissals this year came against spinners. His scoring rate against spin is around 100. But Faf du Plessis believes the story is not over, saying every great player goes through a phase where they must adjust.
The Proteas star has pointed out that T20 cricket has moved forward very fast, especially when it comes to strike rates, but admitted that Babar is far behind others in the strike rate.
Faf du Plessis was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo, “Look, I think first of all, all great players evolve at different points in their careers. Someone like Babar—we’ve known him as one of the world’s best players for a very, very long time. I think T20I cricket has moved so far forward, especially in terms of strike rates, that he’s found himself a little bit behind in that area.”
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Faf du Plessis suggests a smart role instead of a big change
He suggested the Pakistan think tank find the right role for Babar Azam instead of forcing him to play like a power hitter. On slow and spinning pitches, Du Plessis feels Babar can still be very useful, as he can minimise dot balls. He can rotate the strike.
But on flat wickets where teams chase 200-plus totals, Pakistan needs more firepower at the top, but he feels a 120–130 strike rate can still be useful.
Du Plessis said, “So, if you’re someone like Mike Hesson, what he’s trying to do is find the best way to reintroduce him into the game. So, they’ve found a role for him, particularly on slow pitches. When you come to flat wickets, those kinds of roles aren’t as important anymore.”
He signed off by saying, “So, I think at this venue, in these specific conditions where there’s going to be a lot of spin, there could be a lot of value in someone like him in the middle overs, making sure that he anchors the innings.”
