Former Pakistan cricketer Saeed Ajmal has come to the defence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan following their exclusion from the T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
Ajmal, known for his outspoken views, criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for dropping the two players, questioning the logic behind the decision. He described the move as unfair and poorly planned, given Babar and Rizwan’s significant contributions to Pakistan’s T20I success.
Both players, who are Pakistan’s top two run-scorers in T20Is, were omitted from the squad after Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the ICC Champions Trophy. Despite remaining part of the ODI squad, their absence from the T20I setup has sparked concerns about the decision and its implications for the team.
Speaking in an interview, Ajmal called the move “wrong” and accused the PCB of mishandling one of Pakistan’s biggest cricketing stars.
“Aapke paas ek hi toh star hai (You have only one star). If you degrade him also, then how will your cricket run? These are the big issues. Our former cricketers should keep their mouths shut,” he said.
Ajmal emphasised that every player goes through rough patches and that Babar deserves support, not exclusion. Drawing comparisons with cricketing greats, he said even Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t score in every match.
“As a cricketer, one must realise that bad patches are part of a player’s career. You can’t play cricket the same way all your life. Even if you were Tendulkar, you couldn’t score 100 in every match,” he added.
Pakistan’s T20 struggles continue
Pakistan’s recent T20I performances have been far from promising. The team has lost three of its last four series, with the only win coming against Zimbabwe. Their first-round exit in the previous T20 World Cup, including losses to the USA and India, only added to their struggles.
Ajmal believes that instead of dropping Babar and Rizwan, the PCB should have held discussions with them about their performances.
“The way you’ve removed them is wrong. It’s not like they are the only ones who haven’t scored. Ideally, the selectors should sit with Babar and discuss his workload, so he can come back stronger,” he stated.
One of the key criticisms of Babar and Rizwan has been their strike rate. While both players have been among the most consistent scorers in T20Is, their approach has often been labelled as too conservative.
Ajmal dismissed these concerns, arguing that aggression is not the only way to succeed in modern T20 cricket. He also cited the example of Virat Kohli, who prefers to build his innings rather than attack from the first ball.
“Come on, what aggression are we talking about? If they are your proven matchwinners, you don’t need aggression. Even legends like Virat often pace their innings before attacking—that’s his style,” Ajmal said.
As Pakistan gears up for the T20I series against New Zealand, the absence of Babar and Rizwan will be closely watched.
Both players are included in the squad for the ODI-leg of the tour.
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