Pakistan batsman Babar Azam surprised fans on EidulFitr by swapping his cricket gear for a cooking spoon and shared a viral video of him preparing traditional festive dishes at home. In the clip, the 31-year-old was seen painstakingly making seviyan and pure khurma, calling it his “sweet Eid signature” and offering fans a similar glimpse into his life off the pitch.
The light kitchen moment comes amid growing controversy over his fitness and form after the Men’s World T20 2026. Reports suggest that Babar along with opener Fakhar Zaman were lost to injuries during the tournament, raising questions about the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection and fitness protocols.
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WAS BABAR INJURED BEFORE WC T20?
First there were concerns marked by senior selector Aaqib Javed during a media conference last week when he asked the PCB to investigate the matter. Speaking to Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq, all members of the men’s selection committee, Javed revealed that both Babar and Fakhar had injuries that the selectors only came to know about after the tournament.
The issue was further highlighted by Dr Javed Mughal, a British sports physiotherapy and medicine expert who joined the PCB’s medical panel as director of sports exercise and medicine in January. Dr Mughal assessed both players after the World Cup and raised concerns about their fitness.
Babar’s World Cup numbers reflect a tough campaign. In four innings, he scored 91 runs at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.34 with a top score of 46, figures that sparked debate among fans and analysts as Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals.
Babar has not played any competitive cricket since Pakistan’s T20 World Cup exit. He was left out of the ODI series in Bangladesh, where Pakistan fielded six uncapped players, and was also left out of the 2026 T20 National Cup.
The selection and PCB fitness staff are yet to provide full information on his recovery. He is expected to return to action as the captain of Peshawar Zalmi in the upcoming Pakistan Super League 2026 starting later this month.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
21 March 2026 22:44 IST
