PSL 2025: Peshawar Zalmi should have retired out ‘awful’ Babar Azam

Babar Azam made a painstaking 46 off 41 in the clash against Karachi Kings for Peshawar Zalmi at PSL 2025.

Babar Azam’s scores at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 – 0, 1, 2 and 46. A struggling start to the campaign, nonetheless, for the Peshawar Zalmi captain, whose side is floundering in the bottom half of the table. Babar’s poor form isn’t helping either. On Monday, in a crucial group stage clash against Karachi Kings, Babar was simply awful.

PSL 2025: Babar Azam’s painstaking 46 vs Karachi

Going into the encounter, many imagined Mir Hamza to be Babar’s kryptonite. After all, Babar was dismissed by three left-arm pacers in all his innings at PSL 2025. Hamza had dismissed Babar prior to the game as well. However, credit to Babar for negotiating the lefty with the new ball.

But the former Pakistan captain, who needed to mix caution with aggression, went too much into his shell. While the Karachi bowlers didn’t give much room, Babar was extremely timid in his approach. Despite having three hard-hitting batters next in line, Babar ended up spending too much time at the crease without doing anything beneficial. In fact, Peshawar could only score 27/1 in the powerplay overs, with Babar playing 70% of those deliveries (25 balls).

It put Peshawar so much on the back foot that even the likes of Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Mohammad Haris couldn’t resurrect. Gladly for him, Babar did hit a few boundaries after the powerplay; he was scoring less than a run a ball even till the eighth over. Soon enough, Babar’s horrific innings of 46 runs off 41 balls came to an end when Khushdil Shah, another left-armer, darted in one straighter to him that the PZ opener failed to hit. He was plumb out but still wasted a DRS against his team’s cause.

Peshawar should’ve retired Babar Azam out?

Peshawar Zalmi missed a trick by not considering a tactical retirement of Babar Azam during his painstaking 46 off 41 balls—a move that could’ve altered the course of their innings. In the age of data-driven decisions and ruthless T20 strategy, IPL franchises like Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have set the precedent—retiring out Tilak Varma and Devon Conway, respectively—for the greater good of the team.

Both moves, though bold, were lauded for their clarity of thought. Peshawar, by contrast, weren’t pragmatic. Babar, despite his stature as the face of PSL 2025, was clearly struggling for timing and intent. With explosive hitters like Mitchell Owen, Haris and Cadmore waiting, Zalmi could’ve been pragmatic and prioritised momentum over reputation.

Babar Azam at PSL 2025