Babar, Rizwan not suited for T20 cricket, says former Pakistan coach

Former Pakistan men’s team head coach Mickey Arthur has shared his thoughts on the exclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I side.

Pakistan’s ace duo, Babar and Rizwan, last appeared in a T20I in December 2024 against South Africa.

Since then, neither player has been in the team’s plan for the shorter format amid criticism of their strike rates.

Notably, the duo stands as the most successful pair in T20Is, having amassed 3,300 runs at an average of 46.47 over 73 innings from 2019 to 2024.

During a recent episode of Sports Room on ARY News, Mickey Arthur said that Babar and Rizwan are not suitable for T20 cricket.

“Both Babar and Rizwan are excellent players, but cricket has evolved. They are not perfect for the kind of cricket needed to play in T20s today,” Arthur said.

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The former coach praised the current coach and captain of the Pakistan T20I team, Mike Hesson, as well as Salman Ali Agha.

“Hesson, along with captain Agha Salman, desires that the team play as per their own strategy. They are shaping a style that is tailored for contemporary T20 cricket, and that comes with tough calls,” Mickey Arthur remarked.

Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia Cup

Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

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