• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Former Chief Selector Criticises Pcbs Decision To Drop Babar Azam Urges Support For Star Player

Former Chief Selector Criticises PCB’s Decision To Drop Babar Azam, Urges Support For Star Player

Sakshi Sharma

Babar Azam against England (Source:@mufaddal_vohra/x.com)Babar Azam against England (Source:@mufaddal_vohra/x.com)

In the recent news, Former Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim has voiced strong criticism over the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to exclude former captain and star batter Babar Azam from the team following Pakistan's defeat to England in the first Test at Multan. In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Qasim expressed deep concerns about the treatment of top-performing players, who has been a crucial in the team for several years.

Qasim Supports Babar Azam After Exclusion From Squad

Qasim remarked on the troubling mindset of the PCB, where captains and top performers are discarded too quickly during difficult phases of their careers. 

"Our mindset has become such that whoever is the top performer is made the captain. But when that cricketer faces a bad phase, he is removed like a fly from milk. We’ve become accustomed to seeing Babar Azam score hundreds and fifties, and even his 'bad' innings are around 30-35 runs, while other batsmen struggle to even reach that. Why is the criteria for Babar set so high that if he scores 100, he will stay in the team, and he has to score 100 in every match?" Qasim questioned.

Babar Azam, regarded as one of the world’s finest batters, has consistently been a top scorer for Pakistan across all formats. His exclusion has left many puzzled, especially considering his reputation and standing in international cricket. 

Iqbal Qasim Wants Babar Azam To Regain His Form

Qasim emphasized the need to support players like Babar, particularly during tough periods, and he argued that he still deserves a place in the team despite being removed from the captaincy.

“Every great cricketer, including Zaheer Abbas, has faced tough times. During those times, we need to support them and boost their morale. Why is the standard for Babar Azam so high that only a hundred keeps him in the team? You can't form a team without your superstars like Majid Khan, Imran Khan, or Javed Miandad,” he stated.

Looking ahead, Qasim emphasized the importance of experienced players for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia in November. He warned that Pakistan would face high-speed deliveries in Australia and stressed the need for senior players like Babar to regain their form and confidence before the tour. 

"When we go to Australia, we'll be facing deliveries coming at speeds exceeding 150 km/h. For this reason, we will need our senior cricketers on the tour, and it's crucial to give them the confidence they need to regain their form," he asserted.

Pakistan is set to depart for Australia on October 29, with their first ODI against the hosts scheduled for November 4 in Melbourne. Following this tour, Pakistan will head to Zimbabwe for a limited-overs series starting on November 20, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is.