A claim by a prominent Islamic scholar has gone viral on social media, suggesting that Babar Azam’s poor run of form at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup is the result of “black magic.”
The remarks surfaced as Babar continues to endure one of the toughest phases of his career. During the tournament being held in Sri Lanka and India, he has struggled to find consistency. In five innings so far, he has scored just 91 runs at an average of 22.75.
His 25 off 24 balls against England in the Super 8 stage drew significant criticism, particularly due to a strike rate of 104.17. Analysts argued that the slow scoring rate hampered Pakistan’s ability to post a competitive total.
Head coach Mike Hesson has since moved Babar down to number four in the batting order, citing concerns over his powerplay strike rate, which has historically remained below 90 in World Cup matches.
Babar’s recent stint in the Big Bash League with the Sydney Sixers also failed to silence critics. In 11 matches, he scored 202 runs at an average of 22.44. His strike rate of 103.06 was the lowest among players who scored 200 or more runs in a single BBL season. Although he registered two half-centuries, he failed to cross 15 runs in eight of his 11 innings.
The viral “magic” claims come amid a broader dip in performance across formats. In Test cricket, Babar has not scored a century since 2022 and averaged just 18.5 in 2024. Once ranked as the world’s top T20I batter, he has now slipped to 31st in the ICC rankings.
While some supporters believe he can rediscover his form, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has stated that Babar may no longer suit the demands of modern T20 cricket.
Despite the supernatural claims circulating online, most cricket experts attribute the slump to technical challenges, evolving game dynamics, and mounting pressure rather than any extraordinary causes.
