The 31-year-old has been in and out of the side for a while on the back of his performances.
In a format which is filled with the exuberance of youth and energy, experience has its own class. The game has evolved rapidly in the last few years and has demanded more from the players. Ahead of the coveted T20 World Cup in 2026, Pakistan will have an important decision to make with respect to the inclusion of Babar Azam.
Form and strike-rate have been two things that have surrounded the Pakistan stalwart for the latter half of his career. The constant juggling of captains and coaches by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not helped his cause. Pakistan cricket seems to be stuck between playing the modern brand of T20I cricket and the orthodox way, which is holding them back from defining their approach for the format.
The Shaheens had dropped the likes of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam from their squad a few months ago, but recalled them to the side later. Head coach Mike Hesson also stressed that the two mainstays were dropped on the grounds of performance, and they would have to make their way back into the squad through the same criteria.
The 31-year-old has shown enough hunger to be in contention for the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026. What Pakistan will have to ensure is whether they need to stay put with the services of Babar Azam or explore other options. Basically, the management would have to pick one out of experience or youth! And as the Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is is released, the bilateral games just before the coveted tournament, as many as four senior players are brushed aside, including Babar Azam. The reason, however, is the ongoing Big Bash League.
Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.
To speak of his recent form, the former Pakistan skipper has registered four ducks in his last 10 T20I innings, which does not put him in good standing. Above that, his strike rate has been over 100 in just four out of the 10 innings, which speaks volumes about his problems with putting the foot on the accelerator. The Men in Green played the Asia Cup 2025 without Babar Azam and did well to make their way to the final. So to speak, there’s no reason they cannot do it again.
But it isn’t as easy as it looks. Babar is an experienced campaigner, and one cannot overlook experience so easily. Moreover, he is representing the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. The Pakistan management will certainly be watching him from close quarters. Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have been constants at the top of the order in T20Is for Pakistan, with Sahibzada Farhan playing an important role as well. That being said, a lot will ride on Babar’s performances in the BBL.
One of the primary targets for the Shaheens would be to set up a core of players and not tinker too much with their combinations. The team has been opening the batting with Ayub and Farhan, with Fakhar Zaman coming down at No.5. Skipper Salman Agha also needs to pull his socks up with respect to his acceleration.
If the Pakistanis are planning to give Babar an assurance at No.3, which they ideally should, that’s work in progress. The batting order will need to be given clarity with respect to their approach. Babar’s strength lies in reading the situation of the game, and he can be an ideal anchor for the side. The other batters, however, will have to make sure that they bat around him. Though it sounds all rosy, it is easier said than done.
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The Pakistan stalwart’s services were acquired by the franchise for the maiden time in the tournament’s history. In four matches so far, the right-handed batter has notched up a solitary fifty and has been dismissed cheaply in the remaining two fixtures.
Babar holds an average of 33.71 in T20Is outside the subcontinent since January 2024. The same number drops a bit when he is playing a T20I in the subcontinent, becoming 33.10. But here’s the catch. The reliable batter has accumulated an average outside Asia over a period of 32 matches since January 2024, whereas he has played 13 matches in the subcontinent.
Though the stats suggest that Babar Azam has been extremely effective outside the continent, they also show his ability to adapt to the conditions around him. He should be on the flight to Colombo for the T20 World Cup 2026. With him anchoring the innings, the other batters can freely play around him.
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