Babar Azam can't handle pressure? Rashid Latif asks Pakistan skipper to learn from India's Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

India will be facing arch-rivals Pakistan in an electric game at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The match is scheduled for Sunday. June 9 and it is the eighth time that the two sides will be facing each other in the T20 World Cup. 

Ahead of the highly anticipated clash in New York, former Pakistan skipper, Rashid Latif has criticized the current skipper of the team, Babar Azam, pointing at his inability to handle pressure in high-stakes games. 

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India will be having the upper hand as they enter the clash, having won six out of the previous seven encounters in the T20 World Cup between the two sides. 

In today’s story, The Sporting News takes a look at Latif’s critical words on Babar and his favourites to win the clash on Sunday. 

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What does Babar Azam needs to learn from Kohli and Rohit? 

Talking to PTI, Latif appreciated Babar’s batting, stating that he is one of the best in the business but also seemed to be critical about his pressure handling skills. The ex-captain also stated that he could learn a thing or two from Indian players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Latif also admitted that India will be favourties to win the game on Sunday.

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Babar will be under a lot of pressure in the game against India rather than performing at the World Cup. But he should learn to carry pressure, he should learn from Virat and Rohit. They know how to carry a 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 also criticized the team’s preparations for the tournament, stating that it is not at the level that was seen in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the tournament. A few months earlier, a huge controversy had erupted in the Pakistan camp after Babar Azam was reinstated as the captain after he was replaced by Shaheen Afridi as the new leader in the New Zealand tour following the disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. 

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Pakistan’s schedule for the World Cup 

Pakistan will be kick-starting their 2024 World T20 campaign with their first game against the USA on 6th June in Dallas.