Former Pakistan captain and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi has opened up on the exclusion of Babar Azam from the national T20I side, particularly with major tournaments like the Asia Cup and ICC T20 World Cup approaching.
In a recent interview, Afridi was asked whether Babar and Mohammad Rizwan still deserve a place in the squad. He responded by highlighting the importance of consistency and strike rate in T20 cricket.
“I believe that, given the current situation I’m seeing, if we talk about strike rate, then the players should have an even better strike rate,” Afridi said.
The 48-year-old went on to express his disappointment over the exclusion of the former captain, emphasising that his consistency and ability to score runs under pressure should not be overlooked.
He pointed out that Babar was performing with a strike rate comparable to the new players currently being tested in the team, and questioned the logic behind sidelining him.
“Otherwise, Babar is a consistent performer — he’s the kind of player that, when he steps onto the field, you expect him to score runs. He was playing with a similar strike rate too, so we shouldn’t have dropped Babar either,” he stated.
“The players who are currently playing — fine, you’re giving new boys a chance — but they should be consistent and have a good strike rate,” he added.
Despite being Pakistan’s leading run-scorers in T20I history, Babar and Rizwan have not played a T20I since December 13, 2024.
Previously, addressing the future in T20Is for the star trio, skipper Salman Ali Agha emphasised their continued importance in the team setup.
While speaking to the media on July 14 during a white-ball training camp ahead of the Bangladesh series, the T20I captain reiterated that senior players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi remain integral to Pakistan’s T20 World Cup plans. He acknowledged their experience and match-winning abilities, noting that their presence adds balance and depth to the squad as Pakistan looks to build momentum heading into the global tournament.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan are senior players and they are part of our core pool of 25 players,” he said.
“We need to have players who can replace anyone at any given time, and that’s why we are working on strengthening our bench. As part of our roadmap for upcoming assignments, we’ve shortlisted 25 players, and those players will be seen featuring in matches until the T20 World Cup,” Agha concluded.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held next year in India and Sri Lanka.
Moreover, Afridi criticised the selection policies and stressed the importance of strengthening domestic cricket.
“Once you raise the standard of your domestic cricket, all three formats will improve,” Afridi said.
“The biggest mistake we make is experimenting with the national team. A player is often selected based on just one or two good innings in the PSL. Entry into the Pakistan team should not be so easy,” he added.
The 48-year-old further highlighted the need for a more structured development pathway for emerging players.
“If someone shows talent, they should be made to play at the lower levels — in domestic and first-class cricket. The process of making it into Shaheens (Pakistan’s ‘A’ team) shouldn’t be easy either. It should be challenging so players understand what it takes to represent Pakistan,” he stated.
