Pakistan’s Usman Tariq, center, celebrates with teammates (AP/PTI) The Babar Azam debate at the ICC Men’s Under-20 World Cup continues. Once hailed as Pakistan’s next big batting superstar, Babar has tried multiple roles in this edition, opening the innings, batting in the top order and even moving into the middle order. So far, none of these steps have yielded the desired results.On 24 February, during Pakistan’s defeat of the England national cricket team, Babar again struggled for fluency, scoring barely above a run-a-ball. Its form and role have prompted new scrutiny.
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Ahead of that match, former England captain Michael Vaughan praised head coach Mike Hesson for navigating what he described as the complex politics of Pakistan cricket. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Vaughan said:“I admire the overseas coaches who go to Pakistan to train because I can only imagine what’s going on,” Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.“But Babar Azam himself, I think Mike Hesson has dealt with that brilliantly because he clearly has to play Babar Azam and he’s using him as an insurance. You lose two wickets; he’s your insurance. He comes in at four and he can just play.”Vaughan believes that Babar’s method, while considered outdated in the modern T20 game, still has value in Sri Lankan conditions. He suggested that the other batsmen around him take a more aggressive approach and allow Babar to anchor the innings.“In Sri Lanka I think he is absolutely perfect for those wickets because Sri Lanka have been 150-180 so far and I think Babar is in that range. I think he will get Pakistan to 160-170,” said the Manchester-born cricketer.“I admire the way Mike Hesson has probably played politics well and it probably doesn’t give you the best chance of winning the World Cup. But I feel on a pitch like we’ll find in Pallekele, I’d want Babar Azam in my team. Definitely because I want someone solid who can hit the spinners around. If he’s hitting 125-130 from two or three, you absolutely need two fines.” players around you but I’d like that consistent player in the middle of the innings, I think they’ve dealt with that right,” he added.Vaughan also revealed that he had spoken extensively with former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie, his Ashes rival, about labor issues in Pakistan cricket. Gillespie has previously argued that there has been excessive interference during his tenure. Vaughan admitted that he would not have considered taking on such a role himself.“I personally would never want to go and be an overseas coach in Pakistan. I spoke to Jason Gillespie so much when I went there. So it’s difficult. I think Hesson and the team and the management – I think they handled it perfectly. Absolutely perfect in what they did,” he added.Statistically, Babar’s campaign is undervalued. In the 2026 tournament, he scored 91 runs from four innings at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.34. He has no lower strikeout rate among batsmen with 90 or more runs in the competition. Only Alishan Sharafu of the United Arab Emirates comes close, hitting 112.40.During his T20 World Cup career, Babar appeared in 23 matches, scoring 640 runs from 21 innings at an average of 33.68 and a strike rate of 111.49. No player with 500 or more runs in the history of the tournament has taken fewer strikes than the former Pakistan captain.
