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Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has urged the selectors to recall senior players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah, stressing that the national T20I side looks incomplete without them.
Speaking in an interview during the ongoing ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, Hafeez said Pakistan’s mixed results in the tournament underline the need for experienced campaigners.
“I would still say today that this team definitely needs three players: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah,” Hafeez remarked.
“First, they should be properly consulted, and things should be explained to them in the right way. Babar definitely has a place in this team, I’ve said it before as well, that without him, this is an incomplete team.”
Hafeez, who has also served as team director in the past, argued that proven performers cannot be sidelined if Pakistan are to compete with top teams.
“Babar must be in this team, Naseem Shah must also be in this team, and thirdly, since Haris has not yet been able to adjust at the international level, Rizwan should take his place,” he added.
The former all-rounder maintained that while team management is responsible for player utilization, the presence of experienced names provides the balance needed to perform under pressure.
“The way to get performances, the way to utilize players, that is for the management to decide. But if we include these three players in our team, we will have a better chance to perform in any given condition against any opposition,” Hafeez noted.
This Asia Cup is Pakistan’s first major tournament without Babar and Rizwan, both of whom have been central figures in the T20I setup since the 2021 World Cup in the UAE
They were dropped after the South Africa series in December last year, as selectors looked to prioritize younger talent ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
Naseem, meanwhile, has been sidelined after a dip in form. The right-arm quick has played 30 T20Is for Pakistan, taking 25 wickets at an economy of 8.01, but has been left out of the current campaign.
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