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Pakistan’s newly appointed head coach, Mike Hesson, is reportedly pushing for the return of star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan into the national T20I team.
Reports suggest that the head coach considers both batters key to the team’s preparations for the 2025 ACC Asia Cup and the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Both senior players were previously dropped for the T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year, a move by the selection committee aimed at giving younger players international exposure.
Rizwan, after leading the side in just two series, was also relieved of T20I captaincy duties, with Salman Ali Agha stepping in as the new skipper.
However, Hesson appears keen on bringing back experience into the dressing room, albeit with a fresh approach.
Reliable sources confirm that the former New Zealand coach recently held a strategic meeting with selector Aqib Javed at the PCB headquarters, where player roles and team composition were thoroughly discussed.
Insiders close to the development reveal that Hesson still views Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as “match-winners” but wants the duo to evolve their game, particularly by improving their strike rates and adopting a more aggressive mindset in the shortest format.
While the upcoming five-match T20I series against Bangladesh, scheduled in Faisalabad and Lahore later this month, may still be used to test new faces, the long-term blueprint seems to include a blend of youth and proven performers.
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