Babar Azam: No. 1 ODI batter faces crucial showdown in India vs Pakistan World Cup clash in Ahmedabad

Babar Azam, the Pakistani captain and the World No. 1 batter in ODIs, continuously faces scrutiny regarding his performances against some of the better sides in the world. He is hanging onto the top spot by the barest of margins, with Shubman Gill sidelined due to dengue fever.

Yet, Babar’s own form has become a significant concern for the Pakistani cricket team. He has scored just 71 runs in his last five ODI innings, following his remarkable 151 against Nepal during the Asia Cup.

Recent scores of 5 and 10 against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka in the ongoing World Cup, have seen his lead getting trimmed down to just 5 points in the latest ICC rankings. That too, when Shubman Gill, has been indisposed for India’s last few encounters. And Babar faces a real threat of slipping behind Gill in rankings if he doesn't improve his performance soon, even if the Indian opener remains absent for a few more matches.

Babar's last 5 ODI innings:

10 (15) vs SL, World Cup

5 (18) vs NED, World Cup

29 (35) vs SL, Asia Cup

10 (24) vs IND, Asia Cup

17 (22) vs BAN, Asia Cup

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head record in ODIs and World Cup

While Babar started his trip to India with scores of 80 and 90 against New Zealand and Australia in the warm-up games, he couldn’t replicate the form against the Dutch and the Lankans.

And now, the biggest game of them all, India vs Pakistan, looms on the horizon. While all of Pakistan will be hoping for a big knock from their captain, Babar's historical batting numbers against India are less than impressive.

In the six ODI innings against India, the Pakistani captain hasn't managed a single fifty, averaging merely 28 against the Men in Blue, with a strike rate as low as 72.

While India will be hoping for another quiet outing for the Pakistani skipper, the stakes are high for Babar. A substantial innings against Rohit Sharma’s men might secure Pakistan's first-ever ODI World Cup victory against India, and crucially it will also safeguard his top position in the batting charts.

Also read: Virat Kohli - Nemesis for Babar Azam's team, set to shine again in India vs Pakistan World Cup match