T20 World Cup 2024: Babar Azam Urged To Emulate Kohli And Sharma's Leadership

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has voiced his opinion on Babar Azam's leadership skills, suggesting that the current Pakistan captain needs to mature significantly to become a top leader in international cricket.

Latif has declared India as the favourites for the T20 World Cup match scheduled for Saturday, June 9, at Nassau County Stadium in New York. He attributes this to India's balanced squad.

In an exclusive interview with PTI, Latif stated that Babar Azam will face immense pressure during the game against India. He advised Babar to learn from Indian cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

"Babar will be under a lot of pressure because of the game against India rather than performing in the World Cup. But he has to learn to carry pressure, he should learn that from Virat and Rohit. They know how to carry the game. As a batter Babar is one of the best but as a captain and leader, there's a lot that he needs to learn," Latif said to PTI.

Concerns Over Pakistan's Preparedness

Latif also praised India's spinners, particularly Kuldeep Yadav, for their potential impact in the match against Pakistan. However, he expressed concerns about Pakistan's current preparedness compared to their strong performances in 2021 and 2022.

"The Pakistan team plays well in the ICC tournaments but the team doesn't look as prepared as they were in 2021 and 2022. The damage happened after the last ODI World Cup with changes in captaincy, the selection committee, and players," Latif explained.

Babar Azam's Recent Captaincy Challenges

Babar Azam was recently reinstated as Pakistan's T20I captain, replacing Shaheen Afridi. Since taking over the captaincy, Babar has faced several challenges. The team experienced a dismal period, including a 2-2 draw against a second-string New Zealand side and losses to Ireland and England.

Pakistan will begin their World Cup 2024 journey against USA on Thursday, June 6.