‘If he doesn’t perform, he will say I was forcefully made to open’- Basit Ali on Babar Azam’s opening in Champions Trophy 2025

There is a lot of talk about the Pakistan Champions Trophy squad, which was published a few days ago. They were among the last nations to announce their team for the event, which starts on February 19. The Champions Trophy is only sixteen days away.

The players selected for the forthcoming competition, in which the club will compete as the reigning champions, have been the subject of much discussion. The choice of Fakhar Zaman’s opening partner is one of the most contentious issues. Babar Azam, the standout batter for Pakistan, might be one of the options.

Former Pakistani player Basit Ali is one of the experts who has expressed his thoughts on Babar Azam opening the batting in the tournament. He made an odd remark about the top ODI batsman, saying that he won’t be under pressure, and he also made predictions about what he might say based on how well he performs in that role.

“Regardless of how well Babar Azam does in the Champions Trophy, his position in the squad will not change.

I’m hoping Babar does well. He will claim to have played for Pakistan if he does. On his YouTube channel, Basit stated, “If he doesn’t perform, he will claim that I was coerced into opening.”

Regarding Babar Azam’s opening performance, he may have an incredible record in ODI cricket, having amassed 5957 runs at an average of 56.73 in 123 games. However, he has only opened twice in the 50-over format, averaging just 13 runs with a best score of 22.