Significantly, Pakistan withdrew veteran players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam from the tournament, a move that has garnered a lot of attention. Irfan Pathan, a former all-rounder for India, harshly attacked the Pakistani cricket squad for its subpar batting performances in the 2025 Asia Cup.
Although the pair’s strike rates have frequently been questioned, Pathan noted that Salman Agha, the captain of Pakistan, scored at a strike rate of just 111 during Wednesday’s Super 4 match against Bangladesh, which was lower than Babar’s average of 130. Pathan went on to say that Pakistan’s batting lineup is inconsistent and unstable, which impacts team performance and makes individual players doubt their responsibilities.
“The Pakistani team seldom exhibits stability. Anyone could be chosen as a selector or captain. That has the potential to significantly alter things. The players are also affected. “The Pakistani players are insecure because of this,” Pathan stated on Sony Sports Network.
“We don’t know how much latitude the new coach is providing his players. This could only be answered by Mike Hesson. Even though I am a harsh critic of Babar Azam, he said, “Babar is superior to the boys who have been playing here in the middle overs.”
Babar and Rizwan’s omission from the Pakistani players that were passed over for the continental event attracted a lot of attention.
Both were excluded from the 2025 T20 Asia Cup roster, despite previously being regarded as automatic selections in the format. Later, Aqib Javed, Pakistan’s chief selector, spoke out over the choice and shared his thoughts on their exclusion.
“Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam might not play in Twenty20 Internationals. We’re not dismissing them. We currently have players like Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and Fakhar Zaman. Only the players that are performing will take the pitch. We have made some wise decisions, which is advantageous for cricket. Babar and Rizwan will undoubtedly return to the team if they both play as well as the other players. “We have provided them with instructions on how to recover,” Javed had stated.
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