'Babar Azam bigger diamond than Kohinoor': Shadab Khan trolled for praising Pakistan skipper

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam might be going through an intermediate form phase. But there is no taking away from the fact that he is one of the best contemporary batters in world cricket across formats. Also, he received a couple of accolades from the International Cricket Council (ICC): The ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year Award and the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year Award.

Meanwhile, his Pakistani teammate and all-rounder Shadab Khan has lashed out at critics for judging him by his current form and praising the skipper. While he labelled him a "diamond", he also called him a "bigger diamond than Kohinoor". He also feels that having a player like Babar is an enormous blessing for Pakistan cricket and deserves respect from his compatriots.

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"We are doing injustice with such a diamond. Pakistan has been blessed with such a big diamond. Babar is even a bigger diamond than Kohinoor. As a nation, we are not valuing Babar for what he is worth and are pressurising him. He is human. We should respect him the way the world respects him," Shadab told Samaa TV while he was trolled for his comments, comparing Babar to the Kohinoor.

Babar was recently criticised for his leadership abilities of late, especially following losses to England and New Zealand at home, as he also became the first skipper to suffer a 0-3 whitewash at home in Tests. "I am surprised when people doubt him as a captain or a leader. He is Pakistan's biggest player. Our nation should respect him the way we respect him in the team," concluded Shadab.