Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Pakistan Cricket Board will announce its workforce for the next T20i Tri-Seion series and the 2025 Asia Cup. However, there has been no official discussion within the selection committee on Babar Azam’s potential return to the national team, despite the injury to the veteran workshop Fakhar Zaman.
Fakhar has been ruled out of the rest of the Caribbean tour in progress after collecting an injury to an hamstring during the recent T20I series against the Antilles. The left batter lost the final T20i and will not be part of the hate series, causing speculations on social media about the inclusion of Babar.
Pakistan selectors are reluctant to return to Babar Azam ahead of the Asia Cup 2025
According to a report from Cricketpakistan.com, Pakistan selectors are reluctant to recover senior players ahead of the Asia Cup. The Selection Committee has confirmed that no discussion has taken place on the inclusion of Babar Azam and that the availability of Fakhar Zaman for the event is still uncertain.
Your daily dose of cricket!
“The sources of the Selection Committee have stated that no formal discussion has yet taken place and that Fakhar’s unavailability for the tournament is not confirmed at the moment,” the report read.
Babar last appeared in a T20I in December 2024. He has had a modest record in the Asia Cup T20 format, scoring only 68 runs in six games to an average of 11.33. It is expected that the squad of the next Tri-Nation series and the Asia Cup will be announced in the second week of August.
Babar Azam could return to T20 template if Fakhar Zaman is unavailable
The report added that Babar Azam could return to the T20 template if Fakhar Zaman is still unavailable. The Selection Committee will evaluate the situation at a review meeting after the western Indies tour.
Although the door is not closed to Babar, the Council is currently prioritizing a youth -focused team and caures to interrupt the dynamics of the teams. The inclusion of Babar could also have added pressure on Captain T20i Salman Ali Agha.
“According to an PCB official, the T20 template door remains open to Babar and, if Fakhar is not available, his return could be considered,” the report added.
The PCB focuses on youth after disappointing the World Cup T20 2024
Babar Azam has marked only 236 runs in its last 10 T20I games to an average of 26, without registering a single fifty. He last captured the Pakistan T20i team during the World Cup of 2024 T20. Pakistan had a disappointing campaign, which led to the PCB to focus on the development of younger players.
However, some inside the Pakistan cricket believe that the Babar experience could be vital in high pressure matches, especially against India in the Asia Cup.
Salman Ali Agha was named new Captain T20i of Pakistan in November 2024. Although the team lost the series against Australia, he continued to lead in the subsequent bilateral series.
Under his leadership, Pakistan has won the series against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh (at home) and the western Indies, while suffering losses in New Zealand and on the return tour of Bangladesh. Salman scored 380 runs, including three fifty, and took four doctors in T20is.
