Just two years ago, Babar Azam was hailed as one of the greatest batsmen in the world, drawing comparisons to cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. However, in a dramatic turn of events, his form has declined significantly, and his presence in the team is now seen as a liability rather than an asset. Following his string of poor performances, Babar was recently excluded from Pakistan's T20 squad. While he continues to play domestic cricket, an interesting trend has emerged—his team has struggled with him in the lineup but secured convincing wins in his absence.

Pakistan Dropped Babar, But Success Remains Elusive

After Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the group stage of the Champions Trophy and Babar’s underwhelming performances, he was dropped from the T20 squad. The national team, featuring young players and missing senior figures like Babar and Mohammad Rizwan, is currently on a tour of New Zealand. However, their struggles have continued despite these changes. Interestingly, at the domestic level, Babar’s exclusion seems to be having a positive impact on his team's performance.

Team Falters with Babar, Wins Without Him

Babar is currently representing Lahore Region Blues in Pakistan’s National T20 Cup. In his first match for the team, he managed just 22 runs off 17 balls, failing to anchor the chase of a 172-run target. As a result, Lahore suffered a heavy defeat. Despite hopes that his inclusion would bolster the team, the opposite occurred.

In the following match, Babar was left out of the playing XI, and Lahore Blues secured an emphatic victory. Their bowlers restricted Dera Murad’s team to a mere 100 runs before chasing it down effortlessly, losing only two wickets in the process. This pattern was evident from the tournament’s opening match as well—Lahore won comfortably in Babar’s absence.

While it may be a mere coincidence, the team’s contrasting performances with and without Babar Azam raise significant questions about his current form and impact on the game.