Srinagar: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has said that the final eleven for the first Test vs New Zealand would be selected in consultation with head of Selection Committee Shahid Afridi.
Babar was speaking ahead of the first Test, against New Zealand in Karachi. Babar also said he was consulted before recent changes in team were made
“We will have a discussion with the selectors. Then we will decide the final XI, what is the best for the team we will pick, it’s not who to play it is about the best combination, what is the best for the team,” Babar Azam said.
“We had a debate as to how we carry that forward. He [chief selector] has his own mindset. I gave my opinion and then we decided,” Babar said when asked if he was involved in the decision to include Mir Hamza, Sajid Khan and Shahnawaz Dahani in the squad.
Babar said that the pitch looks the same as they saw during the series against Australia. It changes day by day and things will get different, he added.
Babar said that the players are unfazed about the administrative changes in the board and are focused on what they can do on the ground.
“Things have changed in the past two or three days but as a professional, you have to face such things. Our job is to put effort on the ground, perform and apply what best we have. These things are out of the ground and our full focus is on the ground as to how to win the matches, how to take a good start in the series and how to do well in all three departments of the game,” he said.
Babar said that they are aware about the mistakes they made during England series.
“We could not play the last series the way we wanted because we committed small, small mistakes that left us behind. Now we need to overcome those mistakes and try to play good cricket,” Babar admitted.