PAK vs NZ: R Ashwin Mercilessly Trolls Babar Azam’s Slow Batting in Champions Trophy Opener
R Ashwin brutally trolled Babar Azam for his sluggish knock against New Zealand.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin took a dig at Babar Azam for his slow-paced innings in Pakistan’s chase against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Babar Azam’s Struggle in the Chase
Chasing a target of 321 runs, Babar Azam opened the innings for Pakistan but failed to get going. His approach was unusually slow, as he reached his half-century in 81 balls. Throughout his innings, Babar struggled to find boundaries and even failed to rotate the strike effectively. His sluggish knock put Pakistan under pressure as the required run rate kept climbing.
Ashwin’s Troll on Social Media
Known for his outspoken nature, Ashwin took to social media to mock Babar’s slow innings. Comparing it to the famous fable “The Tortoise and the Hare,” Ashwin tweeted:
“Babar’s journey to 50 coupled with Salman Ali Agha’s batting has to be the best depiction of ‘The Tortoise and Rabbit story’. #ChampionsTrophy”
He also added, “The 50 I hope will come soon enough.”
Pakistan’s Position in the Match
Earlier in the innings, Pakistan lost early wickets, making the chase even tougher. At the time of writing, Pakistan was at 128/4 in 31 overs. Salman Ali Agha, who scored 42 runs, had just been dismissed, while Tayyab Tahir joined Babar in the middle.
