"You've got 5 tournaments"- Ahmed Shehzad openly challenges Babar Azam to win the T20 World Cup 2024 for Pakistan

Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad took an indirect dig at skipper Babar Azam ahead of the Men in Green's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. Shehzad criticized Pakistan's preparation and discipline ahead of such a showpiece event while also questioning the leadership group.

In a video of a Pakistan talk show that has gone viral on social media, Shehzad claimed that Babar and his core group have had enough opportunities to prove their mettle, with the T20 World Cup 2024 being their fifth tournament at the helm.

Challenging Babar Azam to win the T20 World Cup, Ahmed Shehzad said:

"It will be morning if I start talking about their (Pakistan cricketers) discipline. But we have never said anything to anybody, but we surely talk about cricket. If you say you are a prime player, if you say no one is bigger than you, then win the World Cup. You've got five tournaments. And the way they are taking these things, we have to tell to everybody."

Pakistan had made it to the final of the previous edition of the T20 World Cup two years ago in Australia but lost to England. They have won the tournament once, way back in 2009.

---

Babar Azam on the 2022 T20 World Cup campaign

On a PCB podcast, Babar Azam recalled Pakistan's heartbreaking defeats against India and Zimbabwe during the T20 World Cup 2022. He claimed that his team had played good cricket and should have won both those games comfortably.

"For me, in 2022, we could and should have won the India game, but they took it away. The most hurtful was the defeat against Zimbabwe. It hurts more because we had played good cricket against India and people were praising our performance and fightback," he stated.

Nevertheless, Babar Azam is excited about the T20 World Cup 2024 and believes Pakistan need to back their skills despite having high-pressure games like the one against India on Sunday, June 9.

​