Is It The End Of Road For Pakistan's Babar Azam In T20 Cricket? Aqib Javed Offers Clarity Amid Heavy Speculation

Babar Azam has been a flagbearer of Pakistan cricket. The former Pakistan skipper has been a pivotal part of the team across the three formats.

Will Babar Azam feature in T20Is For Pakistan?

Babar's future in the T20Is has been the subject of debate. The 30-year-old has recently signed up with the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League. Babar last featured in T20Is against South Africa and since then hasn't been in the T20I setup. There have been reports that, alongside Babar, it might also be the end of  Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi in the Pakistan jersey in the shorter format.

But Aqib Javed has cleared the air over Babar's imminent T20I future. As quoted by A Sports, Aqib, who also happens to be the director of the national high-performance centre (NHPC) said, “Whether it’s Babar or any other player, the game is open to everyone. If Babar or anyone else performs well, they will earn their place, and anyone can move up through performance.

“Players are aware of which format they fit into. There are numerous challenges for them, and they must be prepared to face them.”

Also Read: R Ashwin-Led Dindigul Dragons Accused Of Ball Tampering By Madurai Panthers, TNPL Takes Note Of Matter

Is Pakistan Ready To Shift Attention To Youngsters?

Pakistan's recent failures to do well in ICC events have been a major concern for the Pakistan Cricket Board. They failed to win a single match in the Champions Trophy despite hosting the entire tournament, barring India's matches. Following disappointing performances in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pakistan have preferred young guns, especially in the shortest format.

Salman Ali Agha has been given the charge in T20Is and under his leadership, Pakistan were involved in two T20 series with New Zealand and Bangladesh. Former RCB's director of cricket, Mike Hesson has recently been appointed as the white ball coach and he might test some youngsters in the upcoming West Indies series.

Also Read: Huge Relief For Ravichandran Ashwin And Dindigul Dragons In TNPL! Former India Offspinner Cleared Of Ball-Tampering Charges - Report