Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie stitched together a crucial seventh-wicket stand of 84 to lift New Zealand from 84 for 6 to 168/7. Matt Henry led the bowling with two wickets, including a maiden over,

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is facing criticism for his T20 World Cup 2026 form after being demoted in the batting order. Legends Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Hafeez questioned his role in the team after coach Mike Hesson explained the strategy to demote him.

Umar Akmal reacted to his post on Babar Azam and said it was not to demean Babar or compare himself with the former captain, but to say that Babar Azam does not fit in the middle order.

Babar Azam was ridiculed on live TV and challenged to lead Pakistan to victory over India.

Babar Azam has struggled in the T20 World Cup, scoring 66 runs in four matches and being moved to the middle order. Faf du Plessis supported coach Mike Hesson’s decision, saying modern T20 cricket demands much higher strike rates in the powerplay.

Pakistan made a bold call and dropped Babar Azam for the must-win game against Sri Lanka in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Babar has been struggling for runs and has only managed to 91 runs in four innings.

Irfan Pathan urged fans to stop comparing Virat Kohli with Babar Azam after Pakistan’s loss to India in the T20 World Cup 2026, highlighting Babar’s struggles. Click here to read the detailed story, only on CricTracker.

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has addressed the growing debate around Babar Azam’s role in the batting order during the T20 World Cup 2026. Mike Hesson