Amir Dismisses Babar, Charges Toward Viv Richards — West Indies Legend Tells Him to Calm Down

While the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues to reign as the world’s most popular T20 league, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been delivering its share of high-quality, high-drama cricket across the border. One of the league’s timeless charms is watching teammates from the national squad face off against each other in franchise battles.

On Sunday night, during the Quetta Gladiators vs Peshawar Zalmi clash, two of Pakistan cricket’s biggest names went head-to-head when Mohammad Amir bowled to Babar Azam — and it made for quite the spectacle.

Amir came hard at Babar, bowling a fiery four-ball spell that left the former Pakistan captain visibly rattled. The very first delivery was a sharp bouncer that struck Babar flush on the helmet, prompting an immediate concussion test. But the troubles didn’t end there. After managing just a single run, Babar’s innings came to a quick end when a lethal inswinger from Amir struck him on the pads, trapping him plumb in front. The umpire’s finger shot up instantly, sending Babar back to the pavilion.

What happened next, though, stole the spotlight. Amir, pumped with adrenaline, sprinted toward the Gladiators’ dugout where West Indies legend and team mentor Sir Viv Richards was seated. Amir celebrated animatedly, gesturing toward Richards in jubilation. The cricket icon, however, responded with a cool-headed message — urging Amir to stay composed, keep his focus, and continue the good work.

Amir ended with tidy figures of 1/18, but it was his teammate Faheem Ashraf who starred on the night, claiming a brilliant 5/33 to power the Gladiators to a massive 64-run victory over Zalmi.

PSL 2025 Standings and Player Form

As the tournament stands, Babar has scored 117 runs so far, leaving him outside the top 10 run-scorers of PSL 2025. Amir, meanwhile, sits 12th in the bowling charts with 7 wickets. In terms of team standings, Zalmi has been struggling, placed fourth with just two wins in six games, while the Gladiators are faring better in third place with six points — though they’re not entirely out of danger yet.

Viv Richards on Babar Azam’s Form

Following the match, Sir Viv Richards came to Babar’s defense, expressing confidence that the star batter would bounce back soon.

“Babar Azam will soon regain his form. A king is one who rules over all. No matter how good you are, every batter goes through rough phases. This isn’t the first time he’s faced one. Babar is a very fine player, and I’m certain he’ll be back at his best soon,” Richards told Cricket Pakistan.

He added, “Players like Kohli and Babar do justice to the game of cricket when they play.”

Amir Eyes IPL Appearance

Meanwhile, Amir has recently voiced his aspiration to play in the Indian Premier League. The hero of Pakistan’s famous 2017 Champions Trophy final expressed optimism about the prospect of joining the IPL next year. However, with the longstanding ban on Pakistani players in the league — in place since the 2008 Mumbai attacks — and the renewed strain in bilateral relations following the Pahalgam terror attack, Amir’s hope remains unlikely to materialize in the near future.