PSL: How Babar Azam roared back to form after World Cup setback

Back in the opener’s role, Babar Azam has roared back to form. The former Pakistan captain scored a magnificent 100 not out off 52 balls in Peshawar Zalmi’s emphatic 118-run win over Quetta Gladiators on Sunday.

The 31-year-old is now the second-highest scorer of the season with 401 runs from seven matches — just 12 runs behind Peshawar teammate Kushal Mendis.

Peshawar Zalmi are firing in all cylinders, but Babar’s form has played a big role in the franchise becoming the first team to clinch a playoff spot.

For his big fanbase in Pakistan, Babar’s resurgence is heartwarming news, especially after his torrid time with the bat in the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Asked to bat at number four, Babar struggled for rhythm and runs, managing just 91 runs in six matches at 22.75.

Such was his struggle that the Pakistan think-tank even dropped him for the crunch Super Eight game against co-host Sri Lanka.

Now, just over a month later, the elegant right-handed batsman is beginning to show the range of shots that once made him a formidable batter on the world stage.

For a player who banks on his classical game even in the T20 format, it was always a big gamble to send him at number four in the T20 World Cup.

That gamble from the Pakistan management backfired as Babar looked clueless, not knowing whether to attack from the world go or play himself in before going for the shots.

Now, Azhar Mahmood, Peshawar assistant coach, says Babar’s role in the team set-up is clear — bat at the top order and play to your strength.

The result so far has been so good that the Peshawar skipper jumped in the air and let out a big roar after completing his hundred – his third in PSL — on Sunday night.

“Scoring a hundred always feels special, no matter how many you’ve made before, and there’s a different kind of satisfaction in reaching that milestone again,” Babar said.

“When I completed it and realised I had gotten there, it brought out a completely different emotion, and I’m grateful to Almighty for helping me achieve it.”

While Babar is delighted, Azhar Mahmood said the franchise never doubted his ability to rediscover his form.

“He was going through a tough time with the bat, but now he is back in full flow, playing elegant shots, building the tempo of the innings beautifully,” the former Pakistan all-rounder said.

Mahmood, a former Pakistan coach, then took a dig at the national team management for failing to get the best out of Babar in the T20 World Cup.

“They asked him to bat at number four, but he is not a player who will score at an 180 strike rate. We don’t have such players anyway in the Pakistan team,” he said.

“But if you play Babar in the proper position, you will get consistency from him because he has always been a world-class player.

“So it’s all about how you utilise a player like him. I don’t think he was utilised well in the World Cup.”

Having suffered a World Cup heartbreak with Pakistan, who failed to qualify for the semifinals, a rejuvenated Babar is leading Peshawar from the front, keeping the team’s hopes alive of winning a second PSL title.