Advertisement
Advertisement
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has thrown his support behind star batter Babar Azam, insisting that he still has a role to play in T20I cricket despite being left out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad.
Babar, currently the second-highest run-scorer in T20I history, has been sidelined from the format since the tour of South Africa in December last year.
His exclusion from the Asia Cup squad comes as Pakistan look to invest in young players ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Speaking to an Indian broadcaster, Akram highlighted Babar’s value in tricky run-chases, particularly on challenging pitches.
“I want Babar to be in T20Is. Just think about it, against stronger sides, if you’re chasing 150 or 160 on a slightly dodgy wicket, it’ll be difficult without a batter like him,” Akram said.
However, he also acknowledged that Babar and Mohammad Rizwan should have evolved their game according to the needs of modern-day cricket.
“You have to adjust your game, and that’s where he could be useful. But I also think this team is doing fine,” he stated further.
“Babar and Rizwan were given four to five years as openers. They did well but not consistently enough, and that’s why the selectors have turned to new players.”
The legendary pacer also expressed confidence in Pakistan’s new-look T20I side led by Salman Ali Agha, praising their fearless approach.
“Babar is not there, Rizwan is not there. The idea was to move forward with youngsters,” he added.
“They’ve done well, maybe not consistently, but at least they play with the right mindset. They don’t fear losing, and when you fear losing, you crumble under pressure.”
Wasim Akram reserved special praise for captain Salman Ali Agha, calling him a selfless leader.
“Salman is a good captain; he leads from the front. He even sacrifices his batting position at No. 4 or 5, depending on the situation. I just hope they don’t make too many changes to this team. If they stick together, they can regularly beat top sides,” he concluded.
READ: Arshad Nadeem departs for Japan to compete in World Athletics Championships
