Former cricketer Basit Ali has questioned the International Cricket Council (ICC) over Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam’s ranking in ODI cricket. Pakistan’s star batter is currently at the top of the ICC rankings for ODI batters. And, Basit cheekily remarked that Babar would be pleased after being crowned the best ODI batter as per the ICC rankings and won’t have the drive to come up with improved performances as well.

Speaking in his latest YouTube video, he said, “When I saw the ICC ranking (ODI batters), Babar Azam was at the top, number two was Rohit Sharma, number three was Shubman Gill, and then there was Virat Kohli at number four. I did not find it necessary to read the remaining names because I couldn’t see Travis Head and Rachin Ravindra. I think the ICC wants that Babar doesn’t perform. He would be happy with being the number one-ranked batter in ODIs. Who gives these rankings? On what basis are Babar Azam and Shubman Gill there?”

He also pointed out that Babar Azam is the No. 1-ranked ODI batter, even though his last appearance came during last year’s ODI World Cup. He added how the batter failed to notch up even one century at the mega event, whereas the likes of Virat Kohli and Travis Head also finished with multiple centuries.

“Babar’s last ODI was at the last year’s World Cup. We saw the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Quinton de Kock, Travis Head and Virat Kohli at the World Cup. They scored three-four hundreds in the tournament. For Pakistan, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman scored a century each. Babar Azam did not score a single hundred. His last hundred came against Nepal in the Asia Cup. What kind of ranking do they give?,” Basit Ali concluded. “The people at ICC are Babar Azam’s enemies. If you asked Babar who is the current number one, he would also pick Travis Head or Virat Kohli. Even he wouldn’t say that he is the number one.”