• The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made four changes to the lineup, including the exclusion of Babar Azam.
• Kamran Ghulam replaced Babar, scoring a century on his debut.
• Social media trolls claimed the victory was due to Babar’s absence.

Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir has come forward in defense of Babar Azam, who is facing mounting criticism following Pakistan’s long-awaited Test victory on home soil.

Pakistan’s spin attack led the team to a comprehensive 152-run victory over England in the second Test of the three-match series, marking their first Test win at home since defeating South Africa in February 2021.

Ahead of the match, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made four notable changes to the lineup, including the surprising exclusion of Babar Azam, who has been struggling with form, failing to pass fifty in Test cricket since December 2022.

Kamran Ghulam, a consistent performer in domestic cricket, replaced Babar and scored a century on his debut, playing a key role in helping Pakistan post a strong first-innings total.

Ghulam’s impressive performance intensified the criticism toward Babar, with social media trolls claiming that Pakistan’s victory was due to Babar’s absence.

However, Mohammad Amir, despite being openly critical of Babar in the past, took a stand in support of the star batter, addressing the growing online backlash.

“Please stop with these petty talks that Babar wasn’t in the team, that is why we won. We won because of better strategy and took advantage of playing on home ground,” Amir wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He also urged fans to focus on critiquing players’ performances rather than making personal attacks, stating, “Please don’t get personal with your players. Criticize their performance, but avoid personal remarks.”

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