Pakistan's wicketkeeper batter Azam Khan has criticised a section of Babar Azam's fanbase, describing its behaviour as "toxic" and "uneducated".
In a recent podcast, Azam Khan revealed that he has frequently faced abusive messages from fans of Pakistan's star batter on his social media posts.
Recalling one such incident, Azam said a Babar Azam supporter had once sent him a hateful message that also targeted his family. He also spoke about the kind of abusive comments he would regularly receive on Instagram.
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However, Azam made it clear that his criticism was directed at certain fans and not Babar himself. He said he had no personal issue with the former Pakistan captain but objected to the behaviour of some people who support him.
Azam is the son of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Moin Khan. The 28-year-old has represented Pakistan in 14 T20 Internationals, scoring 88 runs.
"Our social media is really nasty," Azam Khan said, speaking on the Backward Point Cricket Podcast.
"One of Babar's fans, I was batting with him (Babar) in Ireland, he was at 75 or something. We needed 40 runs. Somebody commented on my Instagram picture that, 'if you stop Babar's century, your mother will die and your father will get cancer', Something like that," Azam revealed.
"Our cricketers have uneducated fanbases. Nothing wrong with Babar and his game, but his fanbase is very toxic. When you see those things, why would you even say that?" he added.
'Humaray cricketers ki jahil fan base hai' - Azam Khan talking about Babar Azam fan base in Pakistan and how toxic they are on social media
He came into the spotlight through his performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he made a name for himself as a power-hitter and wicketkeeper. His performances earned him a place in Pakistan's senior national team in 2021.
Azam was also part of Pakistan's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. He featured in the team's Super Over defeat against co-hosts the United States, which remains his last appearance for Pakistan in international cricket.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam is currently Pakistan's Test captain. He had stepped down as the captain across all formats in 2023 before returning to lead the team at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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In July 2026, Babar was reappointed as Pakistan's Test captain, where he replaced Shan Masood.
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