It looks like, ex-Pakistani players are not really worried about Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan not being picked in the Asia Cup 2025 squad. In fact, Mohammad Hafeez has gone on to make a bold claim, saying the duo are not key players in the format. That is when, they were expected to make a comeback in the format, that they have not played since 2024.
Mohammad Hafeez Back Decision
“Calling them (Babar and Rizwan) key players would be wrong and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not Pakistan cricket’s key players at the moment. Key players are those who win matches for Pakistan,” Hafeez said on his YouTube channel. “If we look at the past year and a half to two years, the players showing consistent performance are Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren’t we talking about them? They are the current players winning matches for Pakistan.”
Hafeez went on to make a valid point, that to make a comeback in the side, they need to prove their worth. The only way is to get some results. “I think Babar and Rizwan need to be concerned about their positions in the team. They need to prove themselves as good players first; key players come later. Both were good in the past, but now they are not delivering result.”
Babar Azam & Rizwan Need to Prove Themselves
He lashed out at the stakeholders for not talking about the players who deliver, more. “We should focus on players who can contribute for the next 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two players and hypes one or two others, which is wrong. We need to talk about those who are actually performing,” he noted.
“If we want to improve Pakistan cricket, those in the AC rooms and those executing plans on the ground must address these issues promptly,” he concluded.
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