Babar Azam’s test retirement announcement goes viral?

September 4, 2024, Karachi Babar Azam’s purported Test cricket retirement caused social media confusion. The news followed Pakistan’s 2-0 Test series loss to Bangladesh.

Babar Azam’s test retirement announcement goes viral?

The announcement that Babar Azam withdrew from Test cricket on social media caused a commotion. The posts’ popularity startled and angered cricket fans and experts. These posts seemed to happen simultaneously because Azam didn’t do anything in the series.

Azam struggled in both Tests. He scored 64 (16) runs in four games. He made 22 runs in the second innings of the first Test after being out for nothing. So, he scored 31 first-run runs and 11 second-run runs in the second Test.

Fake posts were found. Fake accounts retired on social media. These fake posts were made by “Jay Shah (parody)” and “Babar Azam – Parody.” The issue was resolved when Babar Azam’s X and Instagram accounts didn’t announce his retirement.

Posts went worldwide while Babar Azam was watched. Poor performance in 2023, scoring 317 runs in eight Tests with a high of 41. It was his last hundred in a Test match against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022.

The social media backlash shows how fake news and celebrity sports careers can stress people. The fake posts highlighted how sensitive and vigilant stars like Azam are, especially when things go wrong.

Azam’s public media channels have concentrated on his love of sports and his team since these incidents. Pakistani cricket supporters will worry about their star player’s future and how he leads in the next few games.

This event highlights the importance of fact-checking before responding, especially in fast-paced professions like sports journalism and online media.