Watch: ‘Criminal knock…’- Imad Wasim rips apart Babar Azam’s knock vs England in T20 World Cup 2026

The former spin all-rounder of the Pakistan side, Imad Wasim, has blasted over the shocking batting performance of his former teammate and captain, Babar Azam, for playing the knock of 25 runs in 24 balls during their Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 against England at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.

Babar Azam didn't look set against the opponent spinners, Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid, as the pressure of dry overs and the dot balls got the better of him. Apart from their opener, Sahibzada Farhan, who played a strong knock of 63 runs at the opening spot, no Pakistan batter could stand against the two-time champions, as Wasim called Babar's knock criminal.

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‘See, Babar is really experienced now, more than Shaheen Afridi. How many times would you mess up like this? Playing 24 balls and getting dismissed for 25 runs is called a criminal knock in T20Is. You know the wicket, having been adapted to that, and then you play that shot, which was the same case even against India. I don’t have any personal agenda with anyone, but I really want to see what they would discuss in the team meeting.” Wasim expressed at an air show.

Imad Wasim calls Babar Azam’s knock criminal in T20 WC 2026

Wasim lamented the prospect of his repeating the same mistakes again and again. Pakistan posted 164 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. England completed the chase thanks to Harry Brook’s century.

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“Shouldn’t he just stand up and raise his hands? Sahibzada was also playing. I understand that he has been in form and is an opener. But Babar came into the middle in the fourth over, and not in the 11th eleventh over. When will he win us the game like Harry Brook? When will he make an impact in an important game of the World Cup?” Wasim addressed.

“When will you play an impactful knock against a strong side. He should have scored against Liam Dawson or Adil Rashid. Look, it’s most important to play an impactful knock in big games. Apart from the innings against New Zealand in WC 2019 and the one against India in 2021, show me any of his impactful knocks.” The former all-rounder concluded.