Srinagar: Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has come out in support of Pakistan star batter duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for inclusion in T20 side arguing that consistency not strike rate should be given priority.
In an interview, Salman Butt highlighted the longstanding contributions of both batters to Pakistan’s white-ball cricket and urged fans and selectors not to write them off prematurely.
“Babar topped the ICC T20I rankings for three years and remains Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the format. Globally, he’s the second-highest run-getter in T20Is, trailing only India’s Rohit Sharma by a small margin,” said Butt.
“Babar is still young. Yes, the runs aren’t flowing like they once did, but that’s part of a cricketer’s journey. Every top player goes through quiet spells. What’s important is how they respond—and I believe Babar will bounce back,” he added.
Butt also defended the often-criticised cautious starts by the star duo during the powerplay overs, arguing that the two batters frequently shouldered the responsibility of anchoring Pakistan’s innings and brought much-needed stability to the top order.
“People focus too much on strike rates and forget the value of consistency. In challenging conditions, a composed batter like Babar can be irreplaceable,” he said.
“If you can build a strong, attacking unit without Babar and Rizwan, that’s great. But until that’s firmly established, letting go of your most seasoned players is risky,” Butt cautioned.
Babar Azam, who led Pakistan in three consecutive ICC Men’s T20 World Cups (2021, 2022, and 2024), last played a T20I in December 2023.
He was left out of the squad for the home series against New Zealand in March and is currently missing the ongoing three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, which began on May 28 in Lahore.
Under scrutiny for a decline in T20I form, Babar hasn’t scored a half-century since his 75-run innings against Ireland in May 2023. Overall, he has featured in 128 T20Is, scoring 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83, including three centuries and 36 fifties.
