Srinagar: Former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi both have strongly advocated the return of batter Babar Azam in the Pakistan T20 cricket setup in the backdrop of upcoming Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.
In a recent interview Wasim Akram expressed strong backing for Babar’s inclusion in the squad, stressing the importance of experience ahead of two major events, the ACC Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
“If I had the authority, I would definitely include Babar Azam in the national T20 team,” Akram said. “The Asia Cup and the World Cup are just around the corner, and we need a senior batter who can handle pressure.”
“He has the ability to adapt his batting according to the situation,” he added. “When we’re chasing 140 or 160, especially against big teams, we need someone who can take responsibility and carry the other 10 players along with him. Babar is among the world’s best players.”
Akram insisted that while younger players bring energy, experience remains key in knockout scenarios.
“He still has a lot of cricket left in him. He’s among the best in the world and we should support him instead of sidelining him,” the legendary left-arm pacer added.
“The coach can play Babar at any position he wants. In my opinion, number three is ideal for him, but it will depend on the situation. If there are more overs left, someone else could also go in to bat first,” he concluded.
Shahid Afridi has also backed inclusion of Babar and Mohammad Rizwan in the Pakistan side, especially with the Asia Cup and ICC T20 World Cup around the corner.
“I believe that, given the current situation I’m seeing, if we talk about strike rate, then the players should have an even better strike rate,” Shahid Afridi said.
“Otherwise, Babar [Azam] is a consistent performer. He’s the kind of player that, when he steps onto the field, you expect him to score runs. He was playing with a similar strike rate, too, so we shouldn’t have dropped Babar him,” he stated.
“The players who are currently playing are fine, you’re giving new boys a chance. But they should be consistent and have a good strike rate,” he added.
