Tag: Babar Azam

Former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal criticized the decision to exclude Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand.

While speaking during an interview, Ajmal questioned the exclusion of Babar and Rizwan, terming the decision as poor and unfair.

Before being dropped, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were two top run-scorers for Men in Green in the T20I format. The decision to drop the two premier batters from the shorter format has sparked concerns.

“Aapke paas ek hi toh star hai (You have only one star). If you degrade him also, then how will your cricket run? These are the big issues. Our former cricketers should keep their mouths shut,” said Ajmal.

The 47-year-old urged support for Babar Azam, highlighting that every player goes through a bad patch. Saeem Ajmal further stated that even the Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t score in each match.

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“As a cricketer, one must realise that bad patches are part of a player’s career. You can’t play cricket the same way all your life. Even if you were Tendulkar, you couldn’t score 100 in every match,” he explained.

Saeed Ajmal stated that instead of dropping Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam from the squad, the PCB should have discussed their performances with them.

“The way you’ve removed them is wrong. It’s not like they are the only ones who haven’t scored.”

“Ideally, the selectors should sit with Babar and discuss his workload, so he can come back stronger,” said Ajmal.

He downplayed concerns regarding their strike rate, citing the example of Virat Kohli, who plays with the method of building the innings.

He minimized concerns about their strike rate by citing Virat Kohli’s method of building innings.

“Come on, what aggression are we talking about? If they are your proven matchwinners, you don’t need aggression. Even legends like Virat often pace their innings before attacking—that’s his style,” Ajmal concluded.

READ: PCB announces schedule of PSL 10 trophy tour

DUBAI: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is narrowing the gap with Pakistan’s top batter Babar Azam to claim second in the ICC ODI rankings.

After bagging the Player of the Match award in the Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, Sharma climbed to third in the latest ODI rankings.

Rohit Sharma took charge of the chase against the Black Caps with a brilliant innings of 76 runs.

Indian opener Shubman Gill remains at the top of the ODI rankings after his good performances with the bat in the eight-team tournament.

Additionally, batting maestro Virat Kohli (fifth) experienced a decline in the rankings,  despite scoring 218 runs in the tournament.

The Champions Trophy final’s runner-up New Zealand players made a significant gain in the rankings.

The major gainer was Rachin Ravindra, who jumped 14 spots after being named the Player of the Tournament.

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Ravindra’s teammates Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips also make ground on the latest rankings for ODI batters. Mitchell moved up six places to the sixth position while Phillips jumped six spots to claim 24th position.

Fakhar Zaman and captain Mohammad Rizwan retained their 19th and 21st positions, respectively, among other Pakistan batters. Imam-ul-Haq dropped one place to 31st, while Saim Ayub climbed to 36th.

Mitchell Santner, New Zealand skipper jumped six spots to second position in the ICC ODI bowling rankings after his impressive performances with the ball in the Champions Trophy.

Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana kept his top position in the ODI bowling rankings. New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell has made significant progress, rising 10 places to 18th.

Indian spinners made significant progress in the tournament. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav jumped three spots to reach third place, having taken seven wickets.

Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja also moved up three positions to 10th place after achieving a five-wicket haul during India’s unbeaten run.

Read: Mohammad Yousuf confirms availability for New Zealand tour after daughter’s recovery

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris has commented on the omission of senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I squad for the New Zealand series.

The omission of the two stalwarts has been a topic of discussion among fans and critics alike.

However, Haris, who is set to make his return to the national squad, maintained a calm and respectful stance when questioned about the absence of the star players.

“Not selecting Babar Azam and Rizwan is the decision of the selection committee,” he said.

Mohammad Haris also spoke about his experience playing in New Zealand, stating that adapting to the conditions would not be a problem for him.

“I have played in New Zealand before, so there will be no problem adapting to the conditions there,” he said.

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Reflecting on his leadership experience with Pakistan Shaheens, he mentioned that he takes pride in representing the national team.

“I have captained Pakistan Shaheens, and whenever I get the chance to play for the national team, I enjoy the opportunity,” he added.

The series between Pakistan and New Zealand will run from 16 March 16 to 5 April, featuring five T20Is and three ODIs. The T20I series will kick off in Christchurch on 16 March, while the second match is scheduled to be played in Dunedin on 18 March.

The third match will be played in Auckland on 21 March, while the subsequent games are scheduled in Mount Maunganui and Wellington on 23 and 26 March, respectively.

Following the T20I series, the teams will travel to Napier for the first ODI, scheduled for 29 March. The second ODI will be played on 2 April in Hamilton, while Mount Maunganui will host the final ODI on 5 April.

Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan (wk).

READ: Jason Gillespie slams Sunil Gavaskar’s ‘nonsense’ comment on the Pakistan cricket team

Former cricketer Basit Ali has taken a dig at Babar Azam’s father, Azam Siddique, questioning his cricketing credentials and sarcastically suggesting that if he considers himself Babar’s coach, he should focus on fixing his son’s technical flaws.

Basit’s comments came in response to Siddique’s recent Instagram post, where he defended his son following his exclusion from Pakistan’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series.

In his post, Siddique not only backed his son but also issued a strong warning to former cricketers, urging them to choose their words carefully when criticizing.

“To the great former cricketers, I humbly request you to be mindful of your words. If someone chooses to respond, you might not be able to handle it. You are part of the past, and there is no way back for you,” Siddique wrote.

Addressing those who claim that Babar’s father speaks too much, Siddique didn’t hold back. “For those who say that ‘his father talks too much,’ let me make it clear—I was his first and only coach, spokesperson, mentor, and above all, his father,” he added.

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He further advised cricket fans to check the playing records of Babar’s critics before taking their words seriously, urging them to visit the PCB website to analyze their performances.

Responding to these remarks on ARY’s show Har Lamha Purjosh, Basit Ali mockingly questioned Siddique’s authority in coaching Babar.

“We didn’t know Babar Azam’s coach is his father [Azam Siddique]. That’s great! He must have played a lot of cricket, then. Not sure how many Test matches he played, but I request him to fix Babar’s technical flaws,” Basit remarked in a taunting tone.

Meanwhile, former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal also weighed in on the matter, stating that while every father has the right to support his son, making public statements after a player is dropped is not a good practice.

“Every father loves his son. Some openly express it, while others leave it to fate. There’s no doubt about Babar’s contributions to Pakistan cricket, but he must evolve with modern-day demands. However, posting statements after a player is dropped is unnecessary,” Akmal said.

READ: New Zealand ‘hopeful’ over Matt Henry injury for Champions Trophy final

The decision to drop star batter Babar Azam from Pakistan’s T20I squad has sparked debate across the cricketing fraternity, and his father, Azam Siddique, has now weighed in with a strong message directed at critics.

The 30-year-old batter is currently facing one of the most challenging phases of his career, with his recent form under the microscope following Pakistan’s underwhelming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Consequently, he was dropped from the squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

The decision has not gone down well with his father, who took to Instagram and shared his thoughts on his son’s omission despite the former captain’s inclusion in the ICC’s T20I Team of the Year.

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In his post, he emphasized that setbacks are part of the game and remained confident that Babar would make a strong comeback through domestic performances in the National T20 Cup and the upcoming PSL.

“The boss is always right. Despite being part of the ICC’s T20 Team of the Year, he was dropped. It’s fine; he will perform in the National T20 and PSL. Insha Allah, he will make a comeback.”

However, Siddique also issued a stern warning to former cricketers, urging them to choose their words wisely while criticizing Babar. He hinted that some remarks may not be taken lightly if a response were given.

“To the great former cricketers, I humbly request you to be mindful of your words. If someone chooses to respond, you might not be able to handle it. You are part of the past, and there is no way back for you,” he further stated.

While his father remains confident of his return, the reality is that Babar Azam has struggled to produce big scores since his 151-run knock against Nepal in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023.

 

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A post shared by Muhammad Azam (@azamsiddique59)

Addressing those who claim that Babar’s father speaks too much, Siddique didn’t hold back.

“For those who say that ‘his father talks too much,’ let me make it clear—I was his first and only coach, spokesperson, mentor, and above all, his father,” he added.

He also advised cricket fans to check the statistics of Babar’s critics before taking their words seriously.

“Before blindly believing those who constantly shout and create chaos, just visit the PCB’s website and look at their own performances during their playing days. The wise ones will get the hint,” he concluded.

READ: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla opens up on Pakistan-India bilateral series

Aqib Javed, the interim head coach of Pakistan, explained the reasons behind the exclusion of star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

Aqib, accompanied by newly appointed T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, announced two separate white-ball squads for the upcoming tour of New Zealand in Lahore today.

He announced that Rizwan would continue to lead the ODI team, but he was replaced by Salman in the T20I team, with Shadab Khan serving as the vice-captain. Meanwhile, Babar also retained his place in the ODI side.

During the press conference, Aqib Javed was asked about the exclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I team.

In response, he clarified that no player has been permanently sidelined; rather, the current focus is on developing a new mindset within the T20I team.

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“Look, this is never the case that a player is completely ruled out. [But] right now, we feel that we need to bring in young blood into the team and change our style of play and mindset,” said Aqib.

He further explained how several teams have completely separated their T20I and ODI squads, and Pakistan is looking to adopt a similar approach.

“If you look at other teams, many have kept their T20I squads entirely separate [from ODIs],” he added.

“Our aim is to maintain a core group of 24-25 players leading up to the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup 2026, ensuring that we don’t go beyond this player pool and approach these tournaments with a specific mindset.”

For the unversed, Mohammad Rizwan was appointed Pakistan’s white-ball captain in October 2024, but his tenure as T20I skipper was short-lived as he led the team in just five T20Is, losing all of them.

Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan (wk).

READ: PCB provides major update on Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub’s injuries

Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson explained the struggles of top-order batter Babar Azam and the Pakistan team during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Babar has been Pakistan’s mainstay in the batting lineup for several years, but the right-hander has struggled for form after recording low scores in the eight-team tournament. His last ODI century came during the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal.

Furthermore, 2017 Champions Trophy winning team Pakistan had a forgettable title defence, suffering back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India before their last group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out.

Hesson, who coached the New Zealand team from 2012 to 2018, addressed the underlying issues of Pakistan cricket and Babar Azam’s performance.

“Babar Azam is no doubt a world-class player, but during the Champions Trophy he was playing with a fear of failure,” he remarked while speaking on his YouTube channel.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“He is very proficient against left-arm spin bowling; however, we witnessed him playing those spinners cautiously during the tournament, often just nudging the ball for single runs.”

Hesson further correlated Babar’s performances with the leadership changes within Pakistan cricket.

“Although intent was a problem with the Pakistan team in the Champions Trophy, but it was not the biggest issue. The underlying issues are much deeper than just intent.”

“There is a fear of failure among players that impacts their future performances as well,” he observed.

For the unversed, Pakistan cricket has experienced significant instability, having had four chairpersons, 26 selectors, eight coaches, and four captains in the last three years.

Hesson emphasized the need for a more stable leadership structure at the top level in Pakistan cricket.

“The chairman comes for a short-term fix. and obviously he is doing his job. I’m not suggesting a change is necessary, but consistency in leadership is crucial so that it doesn’t adversely impact the team.”

“A chairperson should implement a system that lasts for a certain period, and if they step down, there should be continuity to maintain the integrity of Pakistan cricket.” Hesson said.

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The current Islamabad United head coach highlighted that how continuous changes can affect players’ performances and teams’ contributions.

“This uncertainty forces players to prioritize their own performance over the team’s success. Players are left wondering whether their current leaders will remain in their positions long enough, which leads them to focus on self-preservation,” he stated.

Mike Hesson cited the New Zealand and Australian teams as positive examples, mentioning that their players are not judged on short-term performances.

“15 years ago, the New Zealand team had a similar kind of structure to Pakistan’s, where players fought for their spots instead of prioritizing the team. However, they have now adopted a different mechanism,” he stated.

“Cricket Australia does not make frequent overhauls; they provide players a longer run to prove themselves and asses them based on their performance over time rather than in isolation,” he concluded.

READ: Former cricketer slams decision to ‘rest’ senior players after Champions Trophy debacle

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar didn’t hold back in his criticism of Babar Azam, calling him a “fraud” following the national team’s defeat to India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash on Sunday.

Babar and Virat are frequently compared within the cricket community due to their similar batting techniques, however, Akhtar slammed the comparisons between the two players.

Speaking on a TV show, Akhtar questioned Babar’s choice of role models, contrasting it with Kohli’s admiration for the great Sachin Tendulkar.

“We often hear comparisons between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli. But let me ask you, who is Virat Kohli’s hero? It’s Sachin Tendulkar, a man with 100 international centuries, and Kohli is chasing that legacy,” Akhtar stated.

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Shoaib Akhtar then took a dig at Babar Azam, implying that the star batter’s mindset and influences were flawed, labeling him as a fraud.

“Who is Babar Azam’s role model? Let’s not name any cricketer but you’ve chosen the wrong role models. Your thought process is wrong. You were a fraud from the beginning,” he added.

Babar, under immense scrutiny already, had a forgettable outing in the high-stakes encounter against India. He managed only 23 runs off 26 balls, despite striking five boundaries, before falling cheaply.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Pakistan set a below-par target of 241, which India chased down comfortably in 42.3 overs, winning by six wickets.

Meanwhile, Shoaib Akhtar also showered praise on Kohli, who once again rose to the occasion against Pakistan with a match-winning century.

“When Virat Kohli plays against Pakistan, you just know he’s going to get a hundred. He’s a modern-day legend, a white-ball run machine! There’s no debate about his greatness. I’m genuinely happy for him—he deserves all the accolades he gets,” he concluded.

READ: Salman Butt slams Pakistan cricket team after defeat to India

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has raised questions over the impact of star batter Babar Azam in the high-pressure games after the national team’s defeat against India in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2024.

The six-wicket loss on Sunday has left the hosts in a precarious position, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.

While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.

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Speaking on a TV show, Mohammad Hafeez drew comparisons between Babar and former great Inzamam-ul-Haq. He pointed out that Babar has failed to produce a match-winning performance against India in a decade-long career.

“Inzamam bhai used to win matches for Pakistan in tough conditions. Babar Azam has not been able to win a single game against India after playing for 10 years,” Hafeez remarked.

He further highlighted Babar’s lack of standout performances in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, stressing that great players don’t just contribute, but dominate.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“He [Babar] has no player of the series awards in SENA countries. Forget about the team winning or losing, you should be the player of the series,” Mohammad Hafeez added.

The former all-rounder also believes it’s time for Pakistan to look beyond underperforming players and start backing domestic performers who have been waiting for their chances.

“We need to realize these things and show him the mirror. We need to move on from the players who aren’t delivering as expected,” he added.

“It’s time to give opportunities to players who have been performing in domestic cricket. And of course, the same players will become heroes again in the PSL.”

READ: Wasim Akram lashes out at Pakistan cricket team after loss against India

DUBAI: Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam achieved a significant milestone during his team’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against India here on Sunday.

Babar became the third Pakistan batter to score more than a thousand runs in 50-over ICC tournaments.

Going through a rough patch, the right-hander could only score 23 runs from 26 deliveries with the help of five boundaries.

However, it was enough for the star batter to breach the 1000-run mark, joining the likes of legendary Saeed Anwar and Javed Miandad.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Saeed Anwar, Pakistan’s best opener, leads the list with 1204 runs, followed by Miandad (1083) and Babar (1014).

Babar Azam achieved the milestone in 24 innings, making him the fastest Pakistani batter to break into an elusive list.

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Meanwhile, Babar is the fastest to amass the milestone, taking 24 innings, one fewer than Anwar.

Fastest to 1000 runs in ICC ODI events for Pakistan:

Babar Azam: 24 innings

Saeed Anwar: 25 innings

Javed Miandad: 30 innings

Playing XIs of Pakistan-India

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami

READ: Virat Kohli eyes Sachin Tendulkar’s record against Pakistan