“What was their performance during their playing days?” - Babar Azam’s father strongly responds to critics after 2025 Champions Trophy exit

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam's father Azam Siddiqui has hit back at the critics while backing his son after Pakistan's group-stage exit in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The Men in Green lost to India and New Zealand to crash out of the tournament.

Siddiqui urged former players to use their words wisely or he might respond in a way that they can't handle. He added that the critics should mirror themselves before pointing the fingers at others.

Babar Azam's father said in a video on Instagram (via Cricket Pakistan):

"If someone responds, they may not be able to tolerate it. You are part of the past and will never play again."

"What was their performance during their playing days? Take a look at the PCB website—it's a clear hint for the wise," he added.

Babar Azam is rated as a generational star in Pakistan. The right-hander, though, failed to deliver in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The 30-year-old returned with scores of 64 and 23 against New Zealand and India, respectively. Pakistan lost both the contests. Their last group-stage game against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain.

Babar had previously managed 320 runs in nine innings at the 2023 ODI World Cup with the help of four half-centuries. The Men in Green failed to reach the semifinals of that ICC ODI event as well.

The Lahore-batter, however, remains the only captain to beat India in ICC events after 2017. Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Under his leadership, the Men in Green reached the 2022 T20 World Cup final but lost to eventual winners England.

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Babar Azam's father breaks silence on his son getting dropped from T20Is

Babar Azam's father further broke his silence on his son getting dropped from T20Is ahead of the five-game series in New Zealand. This came despite Babar being named in the ICC Men's T20 Team of the Year.

Azam Siddiqui said in the same interaction:

"People say that a father speaks too much, but I am Babar's first and last coach. I am his spokesperson and mentor, and his most sincere well-wisher—his father."

Babar will next be seen in action against New Zealand in the ODI series, which begins on March 29.