The announcement of the Pakistani 17-men squad to play in the Asia Cup 2025 and the tri-series in UAE came with one huge shock; Babar Azam.The former skipper, who had once represented the face of batting prowess in Pakistan, is not included anymore since power hitters, strike rate, and versatility now joins the list of preferences over the conventional anchor roles.
Head coach Mike Hesson outlined that the team had been selected based on present performance and impact on the game. Batsmen such as Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman have played vital roles during power plays and middle overs and provide the explosive element that the team desires in the new era of T20 cricket.
Comparatively, Babar has been a worrying case in recent past with his strike rate to spin and middle overs. Hesson explained that the action is not a permanent one but termed it as a challenge to the right-hander to shape up his game. He told him to display development in competitions such as the Big Bash.
Read more: Pakistan Squad Announced: 17 Players Picked for Tri-Series and Asia Cup
The stand was reflected by the Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed who emphasized that national spaces should be earned based on the current performances and not previous statuses.Players, he said, get the platform in domestic and international leagues to demonstrate their readiness to represent Pakistan.
At present, Pakistan goes into September with a willful and offensive team.But the Babar Azeem question is still the subject matter.He is 30 and all the franchise in the world would love to have his services but his comeback will be heavily dependent on his rate of adopting the changing T20 blueprint of the team.
